Six Months
by butterfly collective
Summary: Six months after the gallery reveal, Alexis took Molly to stay with Jax in Australia but a mysterious invite brings her back to PC
1. Chapter 1

**May 2014**

**Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean;**

Alexis relaxed on the chaise inside the posh Lear Jet. She had a quilt over her and was sipping some wine. Behind her, Molly was completing a homework study as part of her Independent Study Program. She'd made the honor roll in some association of home schooling and was thinking about applying to universities on early admission including Harvard, Stanford and Yale.

She couldn't be more proud of her daughter.

The flight from Tahiti had been long, she and Molly had spent a couple days there after the long haul from Sydney, Australia where they'd been staying more or less for several months.

Jax...she warmed just thinking about him. Before she'd left, he'd asked her to marry him...again. But she hadn't accepted his ring or given him an answer. The time spent with him had been golden.

Just what she needed in her life after leaving PC. Her baby daddies were fighting their mobster wars. Sam had been spending his time with Silas and Danny, as a new family unit. Carly had been using Lucas as leverage as surely as the Jeromes had been using Danny and Sonny had broken more glassware.

In the midst of it, she felt isolated and unneeded, as well as wistful and the tug to just forget her life and resonsibilites in PC led her to call her favorite ex-husband and tell him she needed to get away from her life.

She'd resigned as his attorney which of course caused more glassware to be broken. He'd get over it. Maybe he'd hire some blonde girl just out of law school who'd make him feel young again.

"Mom how many more hours?"

She smiled at her daughter.

"We're overnighting in L.A.," she said, "at the Beverly Wilshire and you can take a look at USC and UCLA."

Molly nodded contently. She looked much happier than when they'd left town...after the shooting, the one that had put her former boyfriend in a wheelchair and left Shawn blaming everyone but himself for putting him there.

But not alone. Baby Daddy #1 as she called him now had done his share as a partner in the mob war. She hadn't seen much of him, a visit here and there where he charmed her up to get her to loosen her lips to give him information that he needed. Sure he could be charming but so could a sociopath like Jerry when he wanted something. Did she even know the difference?

She got up reluctantly from the comfort of the chaise to go heat up some pizza from Wolfgang's which she thought she could manage from the careful instructions left by Jax in a personal note.

Damn she really cared about him and missed him already. But she had to go back home to PC before she could answer his proposal. She needed to do that, he deserved the best response that she could give him.  
Turmoil ruled in her heart, alongside love and contentment. She wondered which warring force would win.  
Love and contentment she'd left a world behind...turmoil lay ahead of her.

"Mom..."

Alexis looked back at her daughter.

"What is it honey?

"  
Molly smiled flipping her hair back.

"You see the news about the wedding?

"  
Alexis drew a blank.

"What wedding?"

"The one in PC...the one with Sam's father..."

Alexis narrowed her eyes, surprised. But then she hadn't been following the PC Press lately.

"Julian's getting married?"

Molly nodded.

"Yeah Sam emailed me and said it's in two weeks..."

She processed that, not that it was any business what Julian did or didn't do including who he married.

"Eeew...it's Carly now why doesn't that surprise me?"

Alexis knew she should scold Molly for the hint of snark in her voice but found herself unable to do so.

"Well Molly she's got some...good features. She's a lot younger than him, pretty and every guy in town is attracted to her. "

Molly made a face.

"I don't know why. She acts so stupid. So desperate like she's nothing without a guy."

Alexis tried to be diplomatic.

"She's insecure. She had a difficult life..."

Molly furrowed her eyes.

"So did you..."

Alexis sighed, going up to check on the pizza to make sure she didn't scorch it. It turned out perfectly, the aromas freshly reawakened making her mouth water. She'd been eating pizza that night...one of her last in PC.  
No, she didn't want to think about that. Some doors needed to remain shut forever.

Julian inspected his tux, the one he'd be wearing to his wedding. He hated tuxes with a passion but some events required them and weddings were on that list.

It was still two weeks away and he'd been busy trying to run a newspaper that reported mostly on the mob war raging between him and Sonny. The one that had left a young man in a wheelchair and a couple others dead.

Shawn Butler the enforcer on Sonny's side had been locked up in jail for shooting his own foster child. Since the justice system moved slowly in PC he'd been in solitary confinement all that time with few visiting him. TJ was in a rehab center.  
Julian knew that Shawn had fired the nearly fatal shot but he'd been targeted by Carlos. So he sent a stipend to the rehab center each month to make sure he got the best of care.

Ava had not been pleased at the announcement of his engagement and she and Carly nearly had a cat fight over it right in the middle of the MC restaurant. He just told her in that soft voice, smooth as silk that he owed her no explanation.  
Then she slid away like a snake and left him alone.

Carly had phoned him earlier after visiting Franco in the asylum where he'd been locked up for observation. She still seemed soft on him but that was her own affair.  
This was all about business after all.

Sam had left him a message but not a friendly one. No, she wouldn't be coming to his wedding. Lucas hadn't even returned his calls...but he'd been busy in his new researching position at GH. Then again he'd been hostile to Carly's engagement to Julian, for reasons that Julian sensed went beyond protecting his sister.

His nuptials would attract a small crowd.

He sighed thinking it was time to plan strategy for the ELQ annual party, the networking event of the year where AJ Quartermaine and Ned Ashton, flying in from Boston would headline the financial report.

Carly the fiancee' on his arm and his own financial news in hand, he'd show who was really in charge of the conglamorate. He'd look the part.  
He didn't think about anything else but the winning moves he had to make against the Qs tomorrow. He best get ready so he pulled his top drawer open and that's when he saw the photo.  
Faded but still revealing every detail of its subject.

He hadn't seen her in months, hadn't known where she'd gone. He knew she'd come back because she placed her family above all else. But he shoved the photo in his drawer, it didn't fit his life.  
Remembering wouldn't solve a thing.

Alexis woke up with a jolt. The pilot announced the Lear would be landing in L.A. where Jax had arranged a limo to take them to the Beverly Wilshire hotel to utilize the presidential suite. Nothing but the best for his favorite ex-wife.  
Hopefully his next wife.

She didn't think about his proposal. Too damn complicated and she just wanted to get to the hotel, sort out her daughter and then hit the sack. Jet lag bit her big time already and she thought she'd just sleep until the Lear took her and Molly off to PC Municipal Airport.  
Sleep would prove evasive because she'd spend her time thinking what would happen when she stepped foot off the plane and onto the tarmac for the first time in four months.

Sam would welcome her back and she would invite Lucas to her house to meet her mom. Molly would want to check on TJ at the rehab center. Alexis would check on Shawn who still sat in jail, still blaming the rest of the world for what happened to TJ.

Shawn had lost the best part of him in the war in Iraq. His relationship with TJ was his attempt to get it back...but now with Sonny he'd become a shell of himself, a mindless killer. One step below a Borg.

Like so many people around her, Alexis stopped recognizing them. They'd all changed almost overnight as if the Fates had a wicked sense of humor.

She hadn't wanted to return to a town that had no use for her. But she couldn't answer Jax' proposal otherwise.

Molly walked up from her seat and looked at her.

"What'll be like when we return? TJ's in a bad place and I don't know what to do."

Alexis rubbed her daughter's head, not knowing what to do either.

Julian and Carly prepared for dinner. They would meet up with some business associates at the MC but Carly had been in a snit.  
About Franco of course. He'd been locked up and wouldn't be freed anytime soon.

"He's really innocent and he shouldn't be locked up."

Julian listened but not attentively. His mind remained elsewhere. His phone buzzed.

"Carlos...what's going on?"

His enforcer sighed.

"Sabrina still won't come back. It's been two months now."

Carlos' voice rasped and Julian knew it'd cost him. But they both had to pay high prices.

"She'll come around."

Julian didn't know what else to say. He knew how devoted Carlos was to the nurse.

"So you're marrying the moll?"

Julian nodded.

"I understand why. But she won't make you happy. You haven't been happy."

"I thought I'd win this war by now but..."

He just sipped his Scotch.

"She's not coming back...she's been in Sydney with her ex-husband. They're quite close."

Julian didn't answer.

"I mean boss...you went with the younger, flashier model...but not the better woman."

"I did what I had to do..."

Carlos countered.

"To please who?"

Julian paused thinking about it.

"She just took off and didn't come back," he said, "After..."

He didn't finish but he didn't have to do that. Carlos didn't know that part of it. Nor did Ava.

"It doesn't matter," he said finally.

Carlos just took his head. His own love life was a mess but compared to his boss... at least it wasn't a train wreck.

"We move forward with the plan then."

He almost sounded weary .

"Yes we do..."

Julian hung up and saw that Carly had joined him. She smiled at him.

"I can't believe we're going to be married soon..."

"Two weeks..."

"Julian I think we need more people at our wedding..."

He looked at her.

"Keep it small. No need to make a fuss of it."

Carly clung to his arm.

"I know it'll be the wedding of the century...everyone will want to know about it."

Julian closed his eyes, knowing it all to be a lie.


	2. Chapter 2

**May 2014**

The plane touched down on the airstrip at PC Municipal Airport. Alexis jolted away with a start, her novel sitting on her lap. She looked around and saw Molly reading a book. Sunlight shone through the window of the Lear Jet and it looked like a nice spring day in update New York.

"We almost there Mom?"

Alexis paused, her eyes out the window looking at the activity of the airport as it taxied to the gate.

"Yeah should be less than a couple of minutes. Better get your things together."

"Okay...I wonder if I can see TJ today."

Alexis heard the timbre of anticipation and yet worry in her daughter's voice. It'd been there during their overnight stay in LA. Ric had taken his daughter and his latest arm candy to the art museum and brunch while Alexis called Sam to say that she'd be in late afternoon. Sam seemed happy and said the lake house would be ready for her.

She didn't mention her father's wedding. Alexis didn't tell her daughter about the invite she'd gotten to dinner at Wyndamere from Nikolas. Something about the invite itself etched on parchment aged for the effect.

The reason she'd come back to PC...a big one anyway.

"I don't know...I'll call the rehab center and find out. We're having dinner with Sam and Silas and Danny."

The plane reached the gate and the two of them got up to leave the airport with their things. Their luggage ready for pickup for the taxi ride back to the lake house.

"It'll be good to see them again. I'm sure Danny's grown so much."

Joy mixed with some sadness swept through Alexis at the thought of seeing her grandson again. She'd skyped with him and Sam while away but to be able to hold him again...

They left the airplane and walked down the stairs to walk to the glass lined building which accommodated passengers with private planes. Her eyes widened and she almost dropped her bags when she saw the man standing in front of her.

"Ned?"

He smiled at her and she went to embrace him. It'd been a long time since she'd seen the man she almost married.  
After embracing her, he held her at arm's length and smiled at her.

"Alexis...I didn't know you were returning until Sam told me...if you need a lift I can give you one."

She nodded.

"Thanks..."

Molly ran to look for the luggage and she and Ned watched. He shook his head.

"Time does fly...I remember Molly when she was...younger. Can't believe she'll be off to college before you know it."

Alexis smiled.

"She's not sure where she wants to go yet. She looked at a couple schools in L.A."

He picked up her bags and they went with Molly to his car parked outside to take the scenic drive to the lake house which would be waiting for them.

* * *

Julian had read the dossier on Ned Ashton who had flown in for the meeting and the vote. Obviously he didn't trust the motives of other members of his family...but looking at his history he had no trouble understanding why. Ned seemed like more of a flake than a businessman. Sure he had his moments but he seemed to be obsessed with having a side career as an edgy singer in grunge. But then every prominent family had its head cases.

He narrowed his eyes at a photo of a beautiful woman in a wedding dress. In the years that had passed her looks and presence hadn't diminished. He hadn't known that Ned and her had been married...she hadn't shown up as a spouse.

Putting the photo down, he sifted through more papers in the file. His phone buzzed.

"Carlos...did you get the info I asked for?"

A pause on the other end.

"I did...he's not happy and he's sat on the sidelines long enough. He's going to make an appearance boss."

Julian sighed, not thrilled about that at all. A deal had been struck years ago, one of many he had made with a rather sordid cast of players. Whatever it took to crawl out of his grave, and back among the living to fight all over again...that's what he had done.

"I'd expect nothing less from him. Anyway, why didn't you tell me Ned was married to her?"

Carlos paused.

"Who boss?"

"Alexis...who else?"

Another pause.

"They were married? I don't think so. Someone at the Floating Rib told me she literally ran from the altar leaving him there."

Julian considered that. So, Ned couldn't possibly be a bad boy then.

"I have to deal with Ned at the dinner meeting."

"That shouldn't be any problem. He's a lightweight boss, I mean...Derek Wells...you picked up his music publishing company for a song last year."

Julian remembered that but he hadn't actually dealt with him personally mainly through his legal team which met with Ned's legal team to do the negotiations.

"Besides Alexis is far away in Australia spending time with her favorite ex. Did I tell you they were still quite close?"

Julian's mouth formed a line.

"Yes you did Carlos..."

His associate chuckled.

"Then what's the problem? You're going to be a married man yourself...with Sonny's favorite moll. That's the deal right...besides you don't deserve Alexis..."

Julian had been half listening, his attention still focused on Ned's dossier. He almost dropped his phone.

"What? What do you mean by that?"

Carlos continued clearly relishing the moment.

"You say you're marrying Carly because of Lucas and yet back in the day when you were focused on Sam, you kept her mother at arm's length..."

Not entirely true, but he didn't want to get into that area with Carlos.

"Sometimes I don't get you. That's all...now back to what I did find out. What are we going to do if this guy comes to town to check on our progress?"

Julian didn't have an immediate answer. The mob war and retaking of territory hadn't been going as planned. Nothing had actually lately.  
He didn't know how to change that.


	3. Chapter 3

**May 2014**

Alexis loved being back in her house after months away from it. Ned brought in the luggage while she and Molly went from room to room checking on everything. Sam and Silas had helped get it ready for their return and even filled the refrigerator and pantry with groceries.  
Not that it'd do much good unless Molly did the cooking. Her daughter went back outside to look out across the lake, still chilled this time of year. Ned followed Alexis into the kitchen where she decided to make some iced tea to take to the living room.  
She poured them both glasses.

"So you've got this big board meeting tonight?"

He nodded.

"Tracy and Monica are strategizing and Lucy...she's been waffling, acting strange when discussing issues with her. More so than normal. And Julian..."

Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"Julian...what's he doing at ELQ?"

Ned sighed.

"He's on the board now. He and Ava hatched a plan to scoop it up using AJ...who sadly is in and out of detox these days."

Alexis nodded, knowing he'd hit the bottle and had not stopped even after being acquitted of Connie's murder.

"He just wants to maximize profits. Since I don't trust him at all, I think he's using ELQ to launder money from some of his more...questionable ventures."

Alexis shrugged.

"Well he's a mob boss. He needs legitimate businesses as fronts to run his illegal operations."

Ned sipped his iced tea.

"He's not using this company if I have anything to say about it...and Tracy...his sister tried it last year."

Alexis remembered that vaguely as she'd been busy with Sam trying to deal with Danny's cancer. It'd been around the time that the article about Kiki's true paternity had been divulged.

"So you up to showing up at the meeting as a gesture of moral support?"

She hedged.

"I don't know..."

She wasn't keen on running into Julian...especially right now. No time to even get her bearings after being gone so long.

"Come on...you remember what our soirees are like..."

"Yes I do...but I have some work to do straightening this place out..."

He looked straight at her.

"This isn't about Julian Jerome is it?"

She bit her lip.

"He and I...we didn't part in good terms...and with what he did with Danny, I just don't want to see him right now."

Not completely the truth but mostly. Just thinking about him had sent emotions swirling inside of her that had been kept in check for so long.

"He's been trying to get his son interested but Lucas is and always will be involved in medicine."

Alexis sipped her tea again.

"Every mobster wants a son to follow in his footsteps but Lucas is a smart man and he'll be his own person...Julian will just have to get that he can't control people by will."

Ned looked concerned.

"What about Sam?"

Alexis sighed.

"She's keeping him at more than arm's length especially with the latest mob war. She's got a son to raise. Besides he's getting married to Carly..."

Ned wrinkled his forehead.

"He mentioned that. Now that's an odd couple."

Alexis didn't laugh at that. She thought it made perfect sense. All men gravitated to the PC Welcome Wagon and stayed with her until she broke her toys and tossed them aside. Okay, the marriage angle was different but then she'd married Jax too.

"It's not so odd. They're both into using other people. So now they can use each other and who knows, maybe they'll bond over it."

"So is it really that cut and dry? Between you and him."

Alexis fidgeted with her glass.

"Nothing ever is but he's made his choices...and they don't involve his children."

Ned sighed.

"I know how much family matters to you. I'm sorry..."

She shrugged.

"No need for that...Okay maybe I'll break tradition and actually go to an ELQ soiree..."

He smiled.

"Good that's set...I can always use an ally in my corner."

Alexis sipped her tea curious about what Julian had up his sleeve regarding the Quartermaines.

* * *

Julian sat at his desk, bored at his planning session. He'd sent Duke out on an errand not trusting the man. He knew he was in Sonny's camp and yet as the mob war raged on, he seemed to have been good at running the fort in the company.

Ava sashayed in, not very happy. It'd been a difficult few months for her what with surviving a couple attempts at taking her out not to mention some revisiting of her secret past with Silas. Julian's concern had been whether or not Sam was in any danger associating with the doctor but of course Sam wasn't listening to him let alone taking any advice from him.

His sister just hissed at him.

"Julian...I don't think you should shut me out of this plan you have with ELQ. I did NOT mess up the last time. I was almost there and then you screwed it up by writing that article."

He sighed not wanting to hear it.

"You dropped the ball Ava. I picked it up. This plan's not going to fail. All I need to do is work on Ned. AJ and Lucy are already covered."

Ava smirked.

"Indeed they are. The company is still struggling after the publicity of AJ's trial so taking over it shouldn't be difficult."

He tilted his head.

"We can't underestimate them. But it should be an interesting meeting."

"You keeping Carly on a leash," Ava said, "She caused me to break a nail last party."

"You two should really start making nice with each other," he said, "Since you're going to be inlaws."

She rolled her eyes.

"Don't remind me..."

He clasped his hands together.

"Sis...we have to keep focused. We're due a visit from our friend and I want something much better to report to him than the mob war."

She ran a hand through her hair.

"Better get working then. That agreement you made with him years ago might be null and void if you don't follow through."

"No danger of that."

She narrowed her eyes leaning closer.

"What was it anyway dear brother? What went on between you?"

Julian paused then shuffled some papers.

"Nothing that concerns you..."

She arched a brow.

"Really...It must be something significant if you've aligned yourself with him.

"I told you Ava...none of your concern."

* * *

Alexis got ready for the party, wearing black one of her favorite colors. PC hadn't changed much since her absence. She dropped Molly at the rehab center and her daughter would be spending the night at Sam's. She'd called her eldest and told her she'd take her and Danny out to dinner at the pizza place tomorrow.

"You have a date with Ned," she'd asked.

"No...no I'm just backup. It might be a difficult meeting for him what with the Jeromes going after ELQ."

"So Julian will be there."

"Yes but he's underestimating the Quartermaines. It might be fun to watch."

She couldn't keep the edge out of her voice as she dropped Molly off to visit TJ and headed over to the Q mansion.  
The valet greeted her and she left her car with him to walk inside, ready to expect anything because you never knew what might happen...  
She saw Ned right away and went up to him, embracing him while he kissed her on the cheek.

* * *

Julian sighed as Carly and Ava glared at each other like felines. They'd nearly drawn blood last time and this time...

"Carly, you and Ava have to bury the hatchet.

She snarled.

"I don't trust your sister...and even when we get married that won't change. You know the terms."

"Yes I do..."

They were at the wet bar ordering drinks. Julian's eyes wandered and then widened. Across the room he saw Alexis standing and talking to Ned, looking very cozy with him.

"Julian...stop staring...it's just Alexis."

He frowned.

"I thought she was in Australia with..."

Carly rolled her eyes.

"My ex-husband Jax. He called me last week saying that she was there with him and that it was getting quite serious. I highly doubt that. I think he's still hoping I'll take him back."

Julian chortled.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. If he did, you'd know rather than be speculating about it."

She tossed her hair back.

"Whatever...I didn't know she'd be Ned's date. They'd been over for quite a while...anyway I wouldn't worry..."  
"I'm not worried...excuse me..."

* * *

Alexis saw Julian at the bar with Carly but she focused on Ned as he told her about Alice's new recipe for red velvet cake.  
She braced herself.


	4. Chapter 4

**May 2014**

Alexis arched her brows at Julian who appraised her in his usual way. She glanced at him. He wore his suit well and not much different than the last time she saw him.

"Long time no see," she said, "I trust life's been treating you well."

A hint of frost in her voice. He didn't react to it, just smiled. Not that she trusted it.

"Alexis...you're looking good as always."

She tilted her face.

"I've been away...a long sabbatical you might say."

He digested that.

"I heard...you were in Australia staying with Jasper Jax...Carly's ex."

"Mine too...yes we had a great time," she said, "We're still great friends after an amicable divorce."

"So what brings you back?"

Ned intervened.

"We were having a conversation..."

Julian didn't look fazed.

"I'm just offering a greeting to the mother of my daughter," he said, "How are you doing Alexis?"

She just looked at him, her eyes locking with his own.

"Wonderful. It's a beautiful country and it's been great reconnecting with an old friend."

Ned nodded.

"Jax has been doing great with his business empire," he said, "been reading about him a lot in the news lately."

Alexis smiled.

"Well he's made a serious of successful mergers. I did some legal work for him, they were all sound and he's always had a good eye for promising companies."

Julian couldn't deny that. The affection for her ex showed clearly in her eyes as she spoke about him. Ned whistled.

"Jax always was tough, even ruthless but he had a caring side too," he said, "I'm happy that his business interests and those of ELQ have diverged."

Alexis knew that Jax and Ned had their differences but they'd mostly ironed them out.

"He invited me to stay and work with his company but...my family's here...though I'll head back from time to time."

Julian's forehead wrinkled.

"You look like you've been busy."

She nodded.

"Of course...life of a corporate attorney and mother. I see you've been busy yourself."

He sipped his drink.

"I guess you've heard about my engagement."

She smiled slightly her eyes unreadable.

"Carly...I'd heard. Congratulations and I hope that you two will be happy together."

He pursed his lips.

"It happened rather suddenly."

She shot him a knowing look.

"I can only imagine. I'm sure you'll make each other happy."

He nursed his drink. Ned looked up suddenly and saw AJ hovering around the wet bar.

"Excuse me..."

They watched him go and then they were alone.

"So you and Jax..."

She smiled.

"We've always been close and spending time with him away from here, well it was something I really enjoyed. The work's rewarding and he offered me a permanent position."

Julian narrowed his eyes.

"You wouldn't take it?"

She enjoyed the emotions playing out on his face but he had no right to ask anything of her at this point.

"I might...except I'd miss my family here too much. But I'm tempted. Sydney's a nice place and Jax has a beautiful spread just outside of it."

"Are you and he...?"

She shot him a pithy stare.

"That's none of your business. My life is off limits."

He tilted his face.

"I'm just asking an innocent question."

She arched a brow.

"Nothing about you's innocent. You're in the middle of a mob war you protested you had no part of and news of it's even reached Sydney."

"So then why are you back in town?"

She paused.

"I have some business to take care of...shouldn't take too long."

She didn't want to think about the letter that she'd received while back in Australia...the one that had brought her and Molly back to PC.

"I want to see you while you're here. Catch up."

She chuckled at that. He felt taken aback. Time apart obviously hadn't softened her.

"You're serious? No I'll be quite busy with my businesss and catching up with Sam and Danny. I won't have much time for trivial pursuits."

"Me neither. I don't think what happened between us is trivial."

She felt an emotional tug which she had no use for at the moment. She needed to focus on the challenges ahead of her.

"Says the man who's still estranged with his daughter...and son and engaged to Carly. Now if you'll excuse me..."

He grabbed her arm and she turned to face him irritated.

"Just let me go..."

He did and glanced over at Ned walking towards them.

"You heard what she said..."

Julian didn't back down.

"I believe you're here to discuss business. You going to go first or will I? I think AJ over there's out for the night."

He'd been hitting the bar hard and Monica and Tracy led him out of the room.

Ned nodded.

"I'll go first..."

Alexis watched as both men walked to the front of the room prepared to give their reports. Carly sidled over to her, carrying her drink.

"What's your problem Alexis? You can't stay away from my fiance?"

Alexis smiled.

"He approached me. I told him I wasn't interested. But congratulations on your engagement Carly. Job well done...as this couldn't have been accomplished easily."

Carly scowled.

"It's going to be a wonderful wedding. Too bad you can't stick around for it."

Alexis shrugged.

"Is that an invitation?"

Carly flipped her hair back.

"If you want to show up and watch him marry someone else...then I'll put you on the invite list."

Alexis wanted to roll her eyes.

"Thanks...but I'm here to conduct business and then after that, I'm leaving it open. I've really enjoyed my time with Jax."

Carly's eyes looked troubled.

"Oh, well he says you've done good work for him."

Alexis nodded.

"It's good to see him again...he's really thrived in his time away from you."

Carly's eyes squinted.

"What does that mean?"

Alexis leaned closer.

"You break men Carly. I don't think you mean to do it but it happens anyway. That's what will happen to Julian of course in time."

Carly sighed.

"That's not true and it won't happen. Besides this is complicated anyway."

"I'm sure it is Carly. Look I hope the two of you make each other very happy while you're using each other."

Carly looked a bit taken aback but then Ned interrupted each other to read the report.

* * *

Ned looked tired afterward. Julian had interjected his own findings, trying to cut Ned down at every turn. That didn't surprise Alexis.

"He's so smooth isn't he? Much more so than Sonny on his best day."

Alexis couldn't argue with that.

"Ned, what's going on with this covert buyout attempt? I don't think that's Julian's work."

He paused, glancing down at his glass.

"I don't know Alexis. At first I thought maybe him...Tracy up to her old tricks but I'm puzzled. This is someone else."

She patted his arm.

"I'm sure you'll find out who soon enough."

He studied her face.

"So what's this business about? What brought you back from Australia?"

She sighed.

"I received this letter to go to a meeting at Wyndamere. I thought Nikolas would shed more light on it but he's off traveling again after what happened with Britt."

Ned frowned.

"Wyndamere really?"

She nodded.

"It sounded important. I guess I'll find out when it happens. It's next week."

She didn't reveal to him that she already had some idea what she was walking into...after all there'd been something familiar about the letter.  
It filled her with both anticipation and dread.


	5. Chapter 5

**May 2014**

Alexis arrived back home from the ELQ meeting and immediately went to get ready to soak in the hot tub on the back deck. Molly was at Sam's and both of her daughters and Danny would be dropping by in the morning, bringing breakfast so that their mother wouldn't starve.  
Silas had deferred saying he had to go to NYC to talk to some police detectives about some ongoing situation with him. Sam hadn't told Alexis anything about it so she had felt surprised and concerned but didn't press her daughter further.

She poured herself a glass of wine, and after disrobing sank into the bubbling waters. The sky glowed with stars and a sliver of moon.  
The meeting at ELQ had been anticlimatic, certainly so for any event held at the mansion but she remembered what Ned had said about the unknown party trying to buy them out. Not that there weren't a laundry list of attempted corporate maneuvers and schemes, most of them instigated by Tracy who was truly a chip off her daddy's block. But even the matriarch seemed clueless.

Alexis couldn't focus on the dramatics in that family, she had to worry about her own. Kristina was doing well in her semester abroad at Cambridge. Getting straight As and thinking about getting her MBA at Columbia. Molly had thrived during her time in Australia away from the drama of PC once she realized that TJ had to focus on his extensive rehab and that she needed some time to just be a teenager.  
Sam...well she'd been quiet on the Silas issue and still estranged from her father. Not that Alexis blamed her for that. He'd moved along seamlessly enough in his mobster war with Sonny even though he knew it kept his family at a distance.

Even the arrival of Lucas hadn't changed him. She still didn't understand what had made him that driven...to return back to being a mob boss in PC nearly 25 years later as if he'd never been gone.

That was none of her business. Her role in all this was to protect her children and grandchild. She just hated that it had to be from him even though there were greater threats to her family out there.

She thought of the letter again. Something about it nagged at her.

A world away, Jax was no doubt at work in his office adding more pieces to his empire, which would have made his father proud. So different than Julian who had used violence to try to accomplish the same thing.  
He'd used everyone to get there including his grandson. Including her, but she didn't want to think about that right now. Though before that act of violence which had driven her and Molly away...there'd been something else.

Something he alluded to at the meeting. But she wasn't going there, not nowwhen her focus needed to be elsewhere.  
Suddenly she heard a branch crackle. An animal in the bushes? She listened carefully, and then heard it again even louder. She reached for her robe and put it on after getting out of the spa.  
Then she saw a shadowy figure looming.

* * *

Julian got off the phone and looked at Carly as they entered the lobby of the MC. She had her hands folded looking at him annoyed.

"You're always on the phone? Who is that anyway?"

He put his phone away.

"Just business...So are you off to spend more time with Franco in the institution or are you going to check in on your son?"

She sighed.

"Morgan's doing a lot better. He'll be released soon...but Franco...he's all alone in there."

Julian gave her a piercing look.

"As long as he's not planning any harm to my daughter and grandson...else his stay there is going to be suddenly very short."  
She seemed to get that and went to get ready for her trip to the institution. He thought about the meeting at ELQ. Seeing Alexis there had shocked him as he'd been told by Carlos she seemed intent on remaining in Sydney. She looked happy and of course beautiful but something about her had changed.

He knew he hadn't impressed her at all. After remembering their last encounter, he shouldn't have been surprised and yet he thought time and distance would have softened her.

Carlos walked up to him.

"What is it?"

His associate paused.

"You ready for his arrival?"

Julian paused.

"Yes...I believe he'll be pleased with how we handled Sonny. I believe that will go a long way towards returning the favor."

"I hope so...these are some bad hombres. Nothing like a two bit mobster such as Sonny. You get on their wrong side."

"I won't. I got them something that they wanted...when it dropped in my lap. It's a good tradeoff even though things haven't gone as planned."

"A lot of years had passed..."

Julian nodded.

"I didn't know how complicated it would be."

Carlos shrugged.

"Life's like that. You got to go with it..."

Julian sighed.

"I don't think I know how and I've got to finish what I started..."

* * *

Alexis crept around her deck towards the shadowy figure.

"Who are you? This is private property. Go be a peeping Tom somewhere else..."

Suddenly she heard a familiar voice.

"Natasha it's me..."

She felt puzzle as he approached her.

"Luke? What are you doing here?"

He stepped up onto the deck.

"Did I interrupt something?"

She shook her head, more interested in his visit.

"Why are you here this late at night...or at all?"

He smiled in that winning way.

"I'm sorry I didn't call first but I've been off the grid and so have you. You're difficult to track down."

"I've been...away. So what do you want?"

His brows raised.

"Cut to the chase I like that about you Natasha."

She folded her arms.

"Thanks for the endearments but I'm losing patience."

"All right...I'm here about the letter that you received..."

Her body vibrated in shock.

"How do you know about that?"

He hedged.

"I've got my sources and I want to help you find out what's going on because it sounds supicious."

"You think? Why do you think I flew back all this way? There's insinuations in it that my family might depend on my being there. What does that mean?"

He looked at her pointedly.

"You know...don't you?"

She paused and nodded.

"I think I do Luke...I just don't know which one. They're all dead aren't they? I mean you took Stavros out and put him back on ice."  
"I did but you know what they say about your family. They never stay dead for long."

"True...but it's been over a year and no signs of him or Helena...the rest are all dead and have stayed dead."

Luke chuckled.

"Let's hope it stays that way. No offense."

"None taken...but I guess I won't know what this letter's about until I show up at Wyndamere. I'm wondering if Nikolas got one too but he's been difficult to reach."

Luke sighed.

"Wouldn't surprise me...but I can help you with this."

She looked at him pointedly.

"Why? You want another to add to your belt?"

Luke shrugged.

"Yeah...but I don't like the idea of you going in there alone. Think of it as backup just in case."

She considered that.

"I'll think about it. That's all I can say..."

* * *

Carlos smiled at Julian.

"You've accomplished a lot."

"We both have," Julian said, "He should be quite pleased."

They both started walking to the elevator to go to Julian's suite for a planning session.

"So you think he'll deliver on his side of the deal?

"  
Julian nodded.

"I think so. The day I got the news...made my decision for me..."


	6. Chapter 6

**May 2014**

Molly came home and brought Sam and Danny with her and they all gathered on the deck to eat bagels and all the fixings. Alexis noticed that her youngest daughter seemed rather animated helping Danny eat his food.

Sam smiled as she and her mom stood up on the deck overlooking the vast lake.

"She's so great with Danny and he adores her. They built a tent fort in his bedroom last night."

Alexis smiled.

"She missed him...though skyping helped," she said, "She missed all her family. I just had to take her and leave for a while after what happened."

Sam nodded.

"Mom I get it. After what happened with TJ and how guilty Molly felt because she trusted Morgan...what a mess..."

Alexis rested her arms on the railing.

"She's so angry at Morgan...still. So am I and at Sonny and Carly for not raising him right...but even so, he did all that to help Julian. Played my daughter and put her in danger...wonder where he learned that trick from."

Sam gazed out across the lake thoughtfully.

"You still angry at him?"

"Who?"

"Julian..."

Alexis paused.

"I was really angry at first because...well I should have known better what he was capable of doing. I know the police said that Morgan acted on his own...Julian didn't know but he put the idea in his head to find a way to get at Shawn."

"I was talking about it with Lucas a couple days ago. You know Carly's not good at sharing but he and I, we have lunch or dinner at least once a week."

"That's nice...I'm happy that you two found each other in the midst of all that's happened."

Sam tucked a strand of hair back.

"What about you? You happy to be back here?"

Alexis considered that.

"I couldn't be away from my family for very long so, only a little while."

Sam's brow knit.

"Is there any other reason? I mean you didn't give us much notice, not that we needed it but not quite like you."

Alexis had to smile, knowing her daughter had her pegged but she couldn't tell her about the letter. Not until she found out who'd sent it and why.

"I need to catch up on some business. It must have piled up. Even though I don't work for Sonny..."

Sam tilted her face looking at her.

"I know there's more to it Mom than that. Just tell me when you're ready."

Alexis wasn't sure what to say to that.

* * *

Julian dropped by Kelly's to pick up some breakfast. Carlos had called him to tell him that Sonny and Duke were gearing up for another fight.

"It doesn't matter. The whole playing field's about to change soon," Julian said, "Sonny just doesn't know it yet."

"Boss, he's acting pretty arrogant for a man whose son's in a mental institution and he's got an enforcer locked up in jail."

"I thought he'd been tired of it by now."

"Guess he's getting warmed up again for another round."

Julian sighed.

"He's not going to get one. We've got other plans. We're going after ELQ."

"I don't think Sonny got the memo."

Julian paid for his breakfast and then left the restaurant.

"Ned Ashton isn't going to willingly participate in the takeover," he said, "I'm working on a plan on how to counter his moves."

"What about the others?"

Julian reached his car.

"I think once we break Ned, they'll fall into line. We don't have much time."

Carlos sighed on the other end.

"He's rushed up the timetable hasn't he?"

Julian drove down the street back to the MC.

"I'd say so but he's testing our ability to adapt to that," he said, "and we'll be more than up for it."

"Right...See you later..."

Julian paused.

"How are things going with Sabrina?"

A pause met him.

"She's still thinking there's nothing between us but she's got to show up and keep telling me that."

Julian envied Carlos that he had at least that response. If she kept showing up, she hadn't shut him out of her life completely.

"I hope he's satisfied with our progress. I've given up so much already to get this far."

Carlos sighed.

"It'll all come around right in the end won't it?"

Julian paused again with a deep sigh.

"That's what I'm counting on."

* * *

Alexis sat on the deck after Sam and Danny had left. Molly had been catching up on some independent study in her room.  
She'd been thinking about the letter and her conversation with Luke. They both had an instinct, a sixth sense when it came to the Cassadines.

If one of them had returned, which one?

All of them were dead with Stavros and Helena being the last to fall. Of course that didn't mean much as Cassadines had an inability to stay dead. The villianous ones anyway, not the truly good hearted ones like her sister Kristina.  
Stefan was mostly good until he'd been consumed by darkness, a belated victim of the family curse. He'd died a villain and hadn't reemerged since. Her father, his brothers they were all gone.

The House of Cassadine had fallen and was sitting empty, rotting and gathering cob webs. That's what she'd believed.  
But after seeing the letter, she knew everything had changed.


	7. Chapter 7

**May 2014**

Jax called just to check on her which made Alexis feel warm inside as it interrupted her house cleaning. She missed him already but still didn't know how to respond to either proposal. He didn't push her on either,and they spent most of their time on the phone catching up.

"I'm flying to Melbourne on some business. That company that you researched is just ripe for the taking."

"Be gentle with them Jax. They're nice people. I just think they're ready for retiring and spending their golden years doing other things."

"Yeah most definitely. I expect it to go smoothly. Then I'll stay over a couple days to visit some friends."

"That's great. Have some fun. You've been working so hard."

He chuckled.

"To me this is fun," he said, "though I miss my partner in crime. So how's everything going there?"

She paused.

"Eventful. I spent my first night with Ned at some ELQ business meeting disgusised as an informal get together or vice versa."

"I remember those...how's Ned?"

"Good...he flew back in for the reports. Not sure how long he'll be here before heading back to Boston."

Jax sighed.

"I heard there's upheaval in the company. The Jeromes are after it...probably as a legitimate company to use for laundering ill gotten gains."

"Julian was there actually with his fiancee...I had run ins with both of them, neither pleasant."

Jax paused.

"It must have been rough."

Alexis paused.

"Carly's just being Carly...you know how territorial she's around her men..."

He sighed.

"I do...She still calls me to get information about my personal life."

"I can imagine her reaction to my spending several months staying with you."

He chuckled.

"She had some choice words but she doesn't control how to live my life. But what about Julian...how was your meetup with him?"

She paused.

"He always acts like I'm not angry with him until he's reminded that I am. It can get exhausting dealing with his view of the world."

"Be careful with him Alexis..."

She smiled at concern laced in his voice.

"Always...I know he's dangerous and I make sure he knows if he approaches my family he'll have to try to do it through me."

"Good. After what happened with Molly's boyfriend..."

She sighed.

"That's more complicated than him being a threat to my family. He didn't know what Morgan had done but he did lay the foundation for it."

"So Molly's doing well?"

"She's happy to be back home but she misses you. I do too."

"I miss you both too but I know you had to go back. So you going to be ready for this meeting?"

She pursed her lips.

"I...I ran into Luke and he wants to get involved. I guess he's reached the same conclusions as me."

He sighed again.

"You need someone Alexis. You always try to take on everything and everyone by yourself. So if you can find yourself an ally...even someone like Luke then all the better."

"Look Jax, I always walk into these situations with my eyes open," she said, "I've been protecting my family from them for years. At least Julian will be lower on my list of things to worry about compared to what's going to be waiting at Wyndamere."

"I wonder which one's come back from the dead this time."

Alexis had to bite back a smile at the impossibility of it all...in most cases except some of the dangerous men in her life.

"I've got no idea."

* * *

Julian heard the latest information on Shawn. He was due for another pre-trial hearing and Dianne Miller his attorney was keeping mum on her strategy plan per usual. It was sure to be grandiose, but imaginative given her history.  
He saw her near the courthouse where he'd gone to check on Scotty to make sure he was beng a good little pocket DA for him. The threat of being forced to prosecute Lucy over his head had kept him in line.

Dianne flashed him a piercing look.

"Julian...you come here looking for an attorney? After all, you'll never know when you might need one.

"  
He smiled indulgently.

"No...just here for a meeting. I hear Shawn Butler has an appearance before the judge."

"He does...it's an evidentiary motion. So how's your sister Ava doing? Living her life on the right side of the law?"

Dianne often made digs on his sister and her suspicion that she harbored a larcinous streak.

"She's fine. Her gallery's really taken off."

"I bet. I heard the ELQ meeting was a hit. Ned and you vying for PC's major conglamorate. That should be interesting."

"We're not competing. We're collaborating."

She chuckled.

"I heard Alexis was back in town and showed up to watch the fireworks. So has her attitude softened towards you?

"  
He narrowed his eyes.

"Have you spoken with her?"

Dianne shook her head.

"We might go out for drinks some time to catch up. But if it's anything like last time, I'd keep my distance."

Julian remembered what it'd been like the last time he saw her before she left.

"We were civi last night."

Dianne looked at him a long moment.

"Yeah...okay well I've got to head to get ready for my hearing," she said, "but Alexis isn't like me and if you pull the same stunt as last time I'd watch my step."

He tilted his head.

"I'll keep that in mind..."

She left him and he looked up and saw Luke standing nearby. He walked towards him.

"Luke... you in trouble again?"

Luke flashed him amusement.

"No...how about you?"

Julian smiled.

"I'm here for a meeting."

Luke nodded.

"Scotty right...that was clever of you to get him onboard so quickly. I mean he's not one of my favorite people but it must have been something good."

"I don't know what you're talking about...it's just a followup interview on a story my newspaper did."

"Yeah...so was it your idea to have him under your thumb or someone else's?"

Julian narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Luke shot him a pointed look.

"I know you're not the typical mobster guy like a Frank Smith or even a Sonny Corinthoes. You have another angle here and someone else calling the shot."

Julian arched his brows.

"How'd you come up with that conclusion? I don't know where you've been getting your information."

Luke shook his head.

"It must be someone pretty big..let's just say I've been down this road before and it's looking familiar."

"Even if that were true, what's it to you?"

"Your son is my nephew if you need reminding," Luke said, "So far he's been Spencer smart in not giving you the time of day."

Julian's eyes hardened.

"He's not a Spencer..."

"He's been raised one and I'm saying that this all looks familiar. Someone else's calling the shots and I'll find out who."

Julian sneered.

"Knock yourself out with it. Any suspects you care to share while you're here?"

Luke tilted his face.

"I might have one...though they share something in common with you, they died. But like you, they might have more than one life. Is that enough information?"

Julian didn't respond.

"I'll see you around..."

Julian watched as Luke walked off. He should have figured that Luke with his wealth of experience chasing larger than life villains around the planet that he'd have a built in radar for their tracks.

Luke hadn't been the least intimidated by him but it took a lot to rile up Luke. Still, Julian knew he couldn't let Luke find out the truth.  
Too much was at stake. He couldn't let Luke or anyone undo a promise made long ago.


	8. Chapter 8

**May 2014**

Julian paced in the courthouse after receiving a phone call asking him for a progress report. Even he had someone to report to about his activities.

"I know it didn't go as planned. But Shawn Butler's going to go to prison and Morgan...he's in a mental institution in a catanoic state. That's leaving Sonny with fewer options...ELQ will be successful this time around...Ava's part is smaller in it. I can handle Ned and Tracy...I have the profiles that you sent plus my own research..."

He noticed the hallways were filling up with people after the courts went into recess. He hadn't seen Scotty to get an update on how Shawn's prosecution was going.

"I'm sure you'll see for yourself when you arrive how well things have progressed. What date will that be?"

Julian sighed knowing the man on the other line had been vague about his arrival in PC. He like to surprise people, keep them guessing. After all they had one thing in common.

"There's been developments there too. I don't know if that has to do with you but remember what you promised."

He clicked off the phone and was startled to see Scotty standing in the middle of the corridor but not alone.

Alexis was with him.

* * *

Scotty tilted his face at Alexis.

"Shawn's going to get convicted and he's going to prison for a long time," he said, "though he's not fighting it real hard given what happened to his ward."

She closed her eyes remembeing how it had all gone down months ago.

"I know he's primarily responsible and he's going to have to live with that," she said, "but when it comes down to who's responsible it's a wide net."

Scotty pursed his lips.

"We can't try Morgan. He's not fit to stand trial for the foreseeable future though his plan as I understand it put your daughter's life in jeopardy."

Alexis' mouth became a fine line.

"I haven't forgotten about that. I took Molly out of town to get her away from that tragic mess. Before she wound up like TJ."

"He's doing better I hear..."

She sighed.

"He might be able to walk again someday, maybe not. His own mother still doesn't care enough to come check to see if he's alive. I don't understand that."

"He didn't pick his family. None of us do."

Alexis couldn't argue with that. She knew if she had a choice, she'd never been a Cassadine. Scotty probably wouldn't have chosen to be Franco's father.

"Sonny hasn't given him a second thought," she said, "but then look what happened to Morgan."

Scott smirked.

"Sonny won't be a mobster dom much longer. We're thinking of offering Shawn a deal to testiy against him for consipiracy, murder and other charges."

Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"What makes you think Shawn will agree to that? He's always been loyal to Sonny."

After all he'd chosen his association with Sonny over his relationship with her, during a period of their lives that seem so long ago...so far removed. But she'd warned Shawn of what would happen to him, to TJ if he kept feeding his adrenalin need by working as Sonny's enforcer. He just hadn't listened.

They both looked up to see Julian walking towards them. Scotty looked at the mobster warily. Alexis just wanted to roll her eyes.

"Alexis...Scotty

"Mr. Jerome, good to see you."

"Likewise. I was just here to follow up on a few cases my newspaper's been following."

Scotty nodded.

"I'm sure. I just got out of the hearing with Shawn Butler. It's been continued because Dianne Miller filed another motion."

"I heard. If he knew what was smart he'd cop a plea and tell you everything he knows about working for Sonny."

Alexis put a hand on her hip.

"Which would no doubt benefit your own...activities."

Scotty and Julian both looked at her.

"I mean writing about it might boost the circulation of your publication."

Julian nodded.

"It won't hurt."

Scotty looked at the both of them after pulling out his phone.

"I've got to go. The life of being DA. Mr. Jerome I'll do that interview later this afternoon okay?"

"That's fine. Just a rundown on all the cases on docket."

Scotty left and then he turned his focus on Alexis.

"What are you doing here?"

She smiled.

"Filing some papers. Jax still has some financial interests in Pt. Charles. So you came here to check on Shawn's case. How nice of you."

He rubbed his jawline with his thumb.

"Look I'm here to do a job."

"Hmm...I thought you had a staff of reporters for that...though as I recall you are a talented writer when you did the story about your reveal."

"Thank you. I do have a staff that I keep quite busy."

She nodded.

"Oh that's right. Doing articles on the mob war and any ELQ scandal that arises. I hope you know that ELQ's going to be a tough nut to crack. They can be formidable when they're put in a corner."

"Oh I'm sure and that includes your ex Ned Ashton. Though I did recall reading a piece in the archives where you left him at the altar. Nice photo shot too."

She bristled not wanting to remember that chapter of her life. The harbinger that warned her that she couldn't stick with a nice guy, one that she ignored for many years after.

"Ned can take care of himself. If you plan on using me to get at him forget it."

He arched his brows.

"Why would I do that?"

She paused then sighed.

"That's what you do Julian. You use people to get what you want or manipulate yourself out of a situation. That's probably while you lasted this long. But it's not going to leave you with a fulfilling life. You got two children, a really nice decent man for a son and I might be biased but an amazing daughter and a grandson...yet you choose to play at being a mobster."

"Alexis..."

She shook her head.

"I don't understand it. I grew up in a family like that and spent my life getting away from it. You say family matters and you'll protect us but I had to fly my daughter half away around the world to get away from what happened at the party."

He didn't respond to that. She didn't give him time.

"It wasn't far enough."

He sighed.

"You came back."

She didn't drop her eyes from his face.

"I have business to conduct then once that's done with, I'll decide what to do. Jax has offered me a job full-time."

"I'm on my way to lunch. Why don't we discuss that?"

She stepped backward, away from him.

"There's nothing to discuss Julian. I thought we said everything...well after the night where you said everything wasn't what it appeared to be and I almost believed you."

"Almost?"

Her voice softened but didn't lose its edge.

"Yeah almost..."

He nodded.

"We can discuss that too..."

She shook her head.

"I've got work to do. You have fun lunching by yourself or maybe you can call your fiancee to join you. Given that you're engaged, I think the discussion would be highly inappropriate considering facts in evidence."

He had to smile at her legalese which told him what she wasn't saying.

"Then how about dinner?"

She just stared at him incredulously.

"Are you for real? You need to just stop. There's never going to be that conversation because on the night of that party you showed your true colors. A teenaged boy payed the price, my daughter paid a price...and you're still here entrenched in your so-called agenda as if nothing happened around you and because of you...now if you'll excuse me."

She walked off down the corrider leaving him without a plan.


	9. Chapter 9

**May 2014**

Ava laughed at her brother as he picked at his food in the MC restaurant.

"You think it's a bad idea?"

He glanced up at her.

"Which one?"

She scoffed at him, waving her napkin.

"The party I'm planning to throw before the rehearsal dinner," she said, "Only the who's whos of PC will be invited and with your newspaper writing it up, this will attract people to my new business."

"Your what?"

She smiled after sipping her drink.

"I'm starting a new side line at the gallery as a party planner," she said, "Really even as mobsters we have to have some air of respectability. You have your publishing company and I the gallery...but with the spare time I have."

He nodded.

"Ah since your boy toy's been institutionalized and Silas isn't returning your calls."

She glared at him.

"Julian you can be such a jackass."

He reached for his own glass.

"So I've heard."

She smiled again, a glimmer of calculation in her eyes.

"Speaking of, I heard that Alexis is sticking around town for a while to conduct some business."

"She did mention that when I spoke with her," he said, "She didn't elaborate to answer your next question."

Ava hissed.

"Do you think she knows?"

Julian looked at his sister startled then recovered.

"No. She's been gone for the past four months busy helping Jax add to his empire. Besides I'm sure he would have mentioned it."

Ava shivered.

"I don't know why you had to mix up with him. Most people in our line of work know to steer clear and give his kind a wide berth."

"There's not enough of them left to be dangerous."

She reached for her glass again.

"One of them is enough...more than enough."

* * *

Alexis got the text from Nikolas that the Cassadine jet had landed at the PC airport and he'd be at Wyndamere within a couple hours. She'd been busy at Kelly's after filing her paperwork at the courthouse. The renowned diner didn't seem the same without either Shawn or TJ running it or serving customers.

A lot had happened since she'd been gone. She'd heard on the grapevine that Shawn had vetoed a deal from Scotty's office for now. But it'd happen sooner or later because she knew Scotty belonged to the Jeromes. It looked like Sonny still owned the PCPD. Anna had been put under a lot of pressure for allegations that she'd killed some man, some super villain and Duke, well he'd taken off to go wander the world again after Anna had been furious with him for getting sucked back in the mob. He'd been questioned in the shooting of TJ but released but it had created quite a scandal.

The town was in such upheaval, a part of her wanted to pack her and Molly up and return to Sydney but she knew that this was her home.  
A business meeting awaited that she had to face. Nikolas texts had made it clear that he'd gotten a similar letter. His housekeeper had contacted him with the information which is what brought him back to town.

She called him, hoping she could reach him. He picked up.

"Alexis...good to hear your voice. I heard you were back in town."

"Same here Nikolas...you don't think I'd miss the excitement of a mysterious invite to meet with an undisclosed party apparently at your house."

"Yeah that puzzled me too. I don't have any guests since..."

His voice faded off and she knew he was thinking of Britt. Something painful must have happened in that relationship but she hadn't pressed for details. Like her, Nikolas was a private person.

"Nikolas I spoke with...a friend and he suspects it's one of our family members paying a call."

A pause greeted her.

"Which one? They're all dead now. Then again forget I said that, death is only a temporary inconvenience or respite in our family."

"It couldn't be your father could it? He was the last one to rise up from the dead."

Nikolas appeared to think about it.

"He's on ice according to Luke. Helena got shot by him and Stefan, he went over an abyss literally and figuratively. But it's a big family Alexis..."

She sighed.

"I know that. I suppose we won't find out until the meeting but we need to be prepared for anything. We don't know if this person is an ally or adversary though I can only imagine the latter given our history."

"Yeah my thinking also. Better be prepared for the worst, it's usually what happens."

Alexis chuckled without mirth.

"True. But if we're right and it's one of our family members, we'd better make sure we're not vulnerable or showing weaknesses which means our families..."

"Got you."

Both of them had been through this drill before many times in their lives. This time wouldn't be any different.

* * *

Ava drank more than she arrived in PC. Julian guessed it had to do with both losing the boy toy she'd gotten fond of and the persistent presence of a detective asking questions. He wondered if the new venture into party planning would lift her spirits.

"So brother are you still on the course? I think with the boss checking up on us it's more important to at least appear that we're successful with the plan."

He flashed a look of irritation at her.

"Of course I am. I'm the one who had kept my focus the whole time."

She chuckled.

"Almost when your family hasn't distracted you, gotten you off of your game," she said, "Maybe that's why the boss is dropping by for a visit.

"  
He remained quiet. Ava was treading on dangerous ground perhaps without realizing it.

"He'll like what he sees. Sonny's been immobilized. ELQ will follow despite what several of its board members are claiming and he'll be ready for the next stage."

Ava looked troubled.

"I think you still sold your soul to the devil. Our souls. His type is absolutely ruthless. I'm surprised even bothering with mobsters."

"We made a deal Ava. I'm delivering on my end and I suspect he'll return in kind."

Her brow furrowed.

"What was it exactly? You never explained that part of it..."

He sighed.

"I will when the time is right."


	10. Chapter 10

Alexis clicked off her phone after talking to Nikolas. Her mind working quickly, considering all angles of what likely awaited them. If one of the Cassadines had indeed proven to be undead once again, the surviving remnants of that family had to design an action plan.  
Usually when one or more of them sprang back to life, either it was due to an ambitious agenda to regain the balance of power or family fortune or it was to carry out some type of vendetta. More often than not a combination of both, and so it had been throughout their history even before the family's exile to a Grecian Island they'd purchased as a hideaway.

She knew she had to be on top of her game with any of them the ways she'd been taught growing up. It was moments like these when she missed her half brother Stefan. At least before he'd shut out all the light inside of him and turned evil at the very end. She had no idea what had really happened to him.

The waiter refilled her coffee. She smiled at him and then looked up to see Ned walking towards her.

"Ned you got my message."

He nodded and sat down at her table.

"So you talked to Nikolas about the letter?"

"Yeah he's got one too. Like I told you, we both think it's linked to our family."

He arched his brows.

"Another Cassadine coming back from the grave?"

She sighed.

"We don't know what else to think. I always thought it was possible in the back of my mind. I think that's why I came back."

"So which one? I heard Helena got a bullet in the heart. Stavros is back to being a popsicle and Stefan...he's been dead for some years now."

She bit her lip, always thinking as she had been since receiving the invite.

"I have no idea. My father's stayed dead. There's Valentin, but Helena claimed she'd killed him and I don't think she'd lie about that. At least I hope not, from what I've heared, he's the worst of the bunch and that's saying a lot.

"  
Ned looked concerned.

"Both of our families have gotten smaller but our deadlier elements were diluted somewhat by benovalent genes through the generations. But yours...Laura Spencer and your mother were the only positive contributions to the gene pool."

She couldn't argue with that. Somehow only she and Nikolas had been spared from being consumed by the evil that defined their family. Still both of them battled their demons. Alexis knew how close she'd come more than once to realizing that side of her that lay dormant.  
The death of her sister Kristina had been one of those times. The temporary loss of both Kristina and Molly had been others.  
She kept a tight reign on it most of the time.

"Alexis, what about any brothers or cousins of your father?"

She paused to consider that.

"Mikkos had both Tony and Victor. Tony died in the freezer with my father and Victor went to prison, where he languished for years. But he's dead or so we were told several years ago."

"Any others?"

She frowned.

"Cousins perhaps but none that contributed much to the roster of family legends. Unless it's someone new."

"That's possible. There's always contenders and pretenders to be the latest undiscovered Quartermaine. I was so relieved to find out Franco wasn't blood kin."

She could only imagine.

"Then again, it'd have to be someone who held some status in the family at least in the past."

She thought that made sense.

"I don't know what to do regardless. I need a plan. Everytime one of them surfaces or resurfaces I have to keep my family safe in case they're a target."

He leaned forward.

"They know about your daughters..."

She nodded.

"Kristina and Molly though for a while Kristina was the primary interest because they thought she was my eldest."

Ned digested that.

"They didn't know about Sam?"

Alexis knit her brow.

"No...the people who knew about her birth thought she was dead like I did. Only my father knew the truth that she was adopted out and he took it with him. Records said she'd died in a car accident at three and he was already dead by then..."

"So whoever it is might not know she's still alive let alone in town."

"Maybe not. It's not going to matter if I think my family's in danger from any one of them."

* * *

Julian and Carlos spent time going over the plans in preparation to meet with their boss when he arrived in town. He didn't give any specifics of when he'd be dropping by, which meant he wanted to have some element of surprise over them.  
No matter, they'd be ready for him.

Ava still wasn't thrilled about it but she did her part in between planning his rehearsal dinner party. Carly had been harping him about arrangements for the wedding but he left that for her and Ava to take care of while he stuck to his agenda.

"So I guess this is enough for now," Carlos said, "We put some serious hours into finalizing it."

Julian smiled.

"You that eager to see Sabrina?"

His associate nodded.

"She's getting off work early today so we're going on a picnic."

"Things are going well with her then."

Carlos smiled broadly.

"Yes now that she's decided that I'm the one for her."

Julian saw the enthusiasm on Carlos' face knowing that he'd pursued the nurse for months and she'd been pushing him away. Not that it discouraged Carlos any. It seemed to fire him up even more.

"We're done here. I'll finish up the rest while you go spend time with your woman."

Carlos arched his brows up.

"What about you...you off to see your woman?"

Julian closed out some windows on his laptop.

"Carly? She's off working with Ava on floral arrangements."

His associate gave him a pointed look.

"I mean Alexis. She's back in town right?"

Julian stared back at him.

"She's made it clear nothing's changed. She came back on business."

Carlos shrugged.

"I remember Sabrina putting up all kind of defenses, excuses but it didn't stop me and it shouldn't stop you boss."

"It's not the same thing."

"I don't see why not. How hard have you tried since she returned?"

Julian paused.

"My upcoming marriage hasn't helped matters."

Carlos rolled his eyes.

"Why are you marrying the Corinthos shrew again?"

"It's complicated."

Carlos chuckled.

"I'll bet...well I'll leave you to your complicated domestic affairs and take off."

Julian said goodbye and returned to his work. After a few minutes, he sighed and decided he needed to take some time off and get some fresh air, anywhere away from this hotel.

* * *

Ned had ordered a sandwich and mentioned how much he'd missed the food at Kelly's.

"So do you have a plan for this meeting?"

She sipped her water.

"Luke's helping me. He's no more eager to see the Cassadine House rise again than I am. Nikolas, he's always hoping it'll be one of them extending an olive branch but that'll never happen."

"He's got his mother's optimism."

She shrugged.

"It's always treacherous when they return. Whoever this is...he most likely represents a threat of some sort. I'm not waiting to see what he or she's got planned."

"That's smart Alexis. I learned that whenever some long lost relative of mine comes back, it's always smart to be proactive."

She knew that about him. It was what they had in common and what had brought them together."

"That means protecting family first and preparing when whoever's coming discovers that Sam didn't die or stay missing.

"  
Ned sighed.

"Whatever I can do to help..."

She reached across and squeezed his hand.

"Thanks."

He paused.

"Do they know about Sam's father?"

She frowned thinking about it.

"I don't know. I don't know what information they've discovered but there's no record of her father anywhere. I never gave him his name."

"You didn't remember..."

She nodded.

"Lucky for him. I'm not sure yet if that's lucky for me. But Julian's busy fighting his mob war with Sonny and trying to get his son to return his phone calls."

Ned shook his head.

"Sonny will win. You know that."

"I'm not so sure. Not that I care either way but he's taken some losses thanks to Morgan and Shawn."

"He still in seclusion?"

Alexis didn't know but she'd heard about it from others while in Australia.

"Maybe. It's his fault as much as Julian's. Once he made the decision to be a mobster...I'm glad I got out of his organization and left it behind."

"I can only imagine..."

She paused.

"Now I've got to figure out how to deal with my family and whatever any stragglers have planned."

Ned nodded and then glanced towards the doorway.

"He's here."

Alexis didn't turn her head to look.

"Who?"

"Julian..."

She glanced then and saw that he'd entered the diner.


	11. Chapter 11

Julian saw Alexis sitting at a table with Ned in the corner. Her attention remained riveted on him as if they were discussing something of great interest.

Perhaps concern, judging by the pensive expression on Alexis' face. Her eyes looked like they had when he'd put her on the defensive the other day while asking her about Lucas. Both hands fidgeted with her glass.  
Her hair tossed back in loose waves and she wore one of her smart legal suits. Ned seemed just as attentive to her. A waiter interrupted him.

"You planning to eat here or check out the scenery. This isn't a single's bar."

Julian looked at the young man sharply.

"I'll take a table."

He started to move towards their table when a voice stopped him.

"Julian..."

He looked up and saw Carly standing in front of him, her arms folded. He hadn't seen her come in the diner.

"What is it?"

She looked indignant.

"Ava's doing the floral arrangements and I don't think carnations suit me," she said, "I want something more evocative...less boring."

He sighed.

"She's just trying to help with the planning."

Carly scowled.

"I think she's trying to sabotage our wedding."

He suppressed a smile, knowing Ava much better than Carly did. Ava had been against the wedding but she hadn't known the whole story.

"I don't think so," he said, "She's trying to make up for all those times she fought with you."

Carly sneered.

"After what she did to Franco...and my son."

Julian noticed how she always had her priorities mixed up. He glanced over at Alexis who appeared involved in her discussion.

* * *

"So you think that whoever falsified the records of your daughter's death was someone else besides Mikkos?"

Alexis paused.

"It has to be. My father was dead. It was after that whole Ice Princess escapade. It was only later because of Jason I found out that she was still alive."

Ned nodded.

"Makes sense and that your daughter was Sam right?"

"Yeah, not that we were even getting along at the time," she said, "It took a long time for that to change."

Ned smiled.

"You're much closer now. You'd never know that the two of you spent some time estranged."

Alexis tilted her face, remembering those darker days.

"Sometimes it's hard to remember what it was like. We worked really hard, went through a lot to get where we are now."

"It was like that with me and Brook Lyn for a while," he said, "but she's settling down finally. She's back in school to get her degree and sings in the church choir."

Alexis remembered how much Ned had struggled with his wayward daughter. He'd clashed with Lois over whether or not she should pursue a singing career. The girl had talent but she'd brushed with the more sordid side of the music industry as well.  
He'd almost lost her.  
But he'd gotten her back and Alexis knew what that was like. She didn't want to face that situation ever again.

She glanced up and saw Julian talking with Carly in the middle of the diner. Ned followed her gaze.

"Mr. Jerome...he made my mother very unhappy this morning with the documents he sent to her and the board."

Alexis arched a brow.

"I can only imagine. You know you have to fight back or ELQ's going to wind up a front for the mob."

Ned flashed a look of such intense distaste she almost laughed. He'd never been a big fan of Sonny's either. But Sonny stuck to his own slew of legit businesses to front his action and left most of the Qs except AJ alone.  
Well there was Jason, but then he could hardly be counted. Few people left in PC had memories of life before Stone Cold.

"That'll never happen. Not with him or anyone else. I promised my grandfather that before he died."

Ned sounded resolute and Alexis knew he could be formidable in his own right when it came to protecting his family's interests.

* * *

Julian listened as Carly talked about the catering in that it had to be from the MC.

"Whatever you want," he said, "You should discuss that with Ava."

Carly snarled again.

"I'm not asking her permission for anything on my own wedding."

He sighed.

"I have to get back to work."

Carly spotted Ned and Alexis.

"Really. The two of them are back together? That didn't take long."

Julian glanced at them then back at Carly.

"They're friends..."

Carly shook her head.

"Ned's a laid back Quartermaine, not like some of the others who I won't mention."

Julian knew not to underestimate him. He'd done his homework. Suddenly Carly brightened.

"My orders's ready. I'll see you back at the hotel..."

He nodded and she took off after picking it up. He then walked over to the table where Ned and Alexis both glanced up at him.

"Mr. Jerome. Fancy running into you here," Ned said, "I didn't think you took any time off from your agenda to slum at Kelly's."

Julian smiled.

"Alexis...Ned...I'm a regular here. The food is great, the ambiance and occasionally the company is very nice..."

Alexis met his eyes with her own, as if in challenge.

"Julian. Ned and I were discussing business."

"I'm sure. That meeting the other night was interesting. I assume you received the documents I couriered this morning."

Ned's mouth formed a grim line.

"Yes...and the answer in short is no. The longer version filled with legalese will be drafted and sent to you by the end of the week."

Julian shrugged.

"I didn't think it'd be easy but I always get what I want. Almost always."

Alexis bristled.

"Well good luck with ELQ Julian."

Neds phone rang and he told Alexis he had to take it. The expression on her face told her it might not be good news. Julian took that opportunity to sit down across from her.

"You weren't invited..."

He smiled at her indignation.

"So you're helping Ned with his company?"

She shook her head, looking bemused.

"No. But he's my friend and I don't want to see anyone hurt him."

"No one's hurting him Alexis. It's business."

"Of course..."

He leaned back in his chair.

"So you two go way back?"

She nodded.

"We weren't friendly at first. We were too busy watching over our families which were warring with each other. Gatekeeping you might call it."

He smiled.

"A Cassadine breaking bread with a Quatermaine..."

She smirked.

"It gets even more outrageous considering one of my closest friends is a Spencer."

He nodded.

"Luke. A colorful figure in this town."

She smiled.

"I let him get away with...certain liberties I don't allow anyone else."

His brow arched.

"Oh?"

She nodded, pleased with his expression

.  
"Yes...but they're between him and me."

Ned returned to the table and saw the two of them together. Irritation flashe in his eyes but he hid it quite well.

"That was my mother. Someone's making a move on ELQ."

Alexis shot a look at Julian but Ned shook his head.

"Not him...this is someone else."


	12. Chapter 12

Alexis stared at Ned, who still looked perplexed.

"So who is it then?"

He looked at her carefully.

"My mom didn't know. It's someone who is keeping him or herself anonymous for now while making all kinds of moves on ELQ subsidiaries."

Alexis digested that news. She knew quite a bit about the company having offered her legal services to Ned when he needed them. Not to mention that when she'd first arrived in PC with Stefan, she'd been working the other angle until she lost heart in it.

Lost her heart to Ned or so she thought. Instead she wound up breaking his heart.

"So it's definitely not an insider," she continued, "but someone outside your family?"

Ned nodded.

"I thought it might be some yet undiscovered long lost relative but now…it's someone who seems to know the company very well. Not to mention they've chosen their targets well. Almost like a Q…but somehow I think it's something else entirely."

Alexis pursed her lips.

"You going to talk to your mother and AJ about this?"

Ned looked indecisive.

"AJ's too unstable right now to do anything but drain the liquor cabinet," he said, "I'm thinking of calling a meeting with my mom, Lucy and Alice."

Julian cleared his throat.

"I'll be there too…"

Ned shook his head.

"You're not family…"

"Neither is Lucy and I own more shares in it than she does right now."

Alexis watched Julian in typical fashion muscle his way into a situation. But as much as she didn't want to admit it he did have a point. She arched her brow at Ned who conceded.

"Okay this meeting…but I can't promise anything more than that. This is a family matter."

Julian narrowed his eyes.

"It's my company too and I won't be shut out of any decision making process on its future. Besides, I have resources that might help you find out who this unnamed interloper is and why they targeted ELQ."

Ned chortled.

"Well you tried the same thing when you and Ava wanted it to front your illegal activities and for all I know that's what you're trying again and it's not going to happen. Not as long as I'm in town…which will be for the foreseeable future."

Julian gave him a piercing look.

"Fine. I think we're on the same page with ELQ…"

Ned glared back.

"Somehow I doubt that but like I said for now you can attend meetings."

Alexis watched the two men square off. Julian in his alpha male mode when it came to protecting his agenda and interests. Ned didn't come off as that type but when it came to his family's business, he could put up a convincing argument that he wasn't any different. He'd had his ruthless moments, enough to keep her interested but alas she knew now he'd just been too much of a nice guy for a woman like her.

Not like the other man in the room.

* * *

Alexis drove back to the lake house after her lunch leaving the boys to have their meeting with the board to discuss the latest intrigue. Molly and Sam were both at the house working on putting up some artwork on the walls that they'd found stored in the attic.

"So you found where I hid the paintings?"

Molly looked sheepish.

"The walls look so bare and we think they add some flavor to the room. Of course new furniture might help…"

"Hey…I like the sofa…"

Both Sam and Molly just looked at one another. Molly nodded.

"Okay whatever Mom. But the table's got to go. At least we have a new kitchen table."

Sam frowned.

"I know…what happened to the old one?"

Alexis sighed.

"It broke…when I bumped into it. The night the power was out from the storm."

Sam paused and then nodded.

"Ah yeah. I was helping Silas at the hospital. That's when…"

Molly's face darkened.

"TJ got shot by Shawn and Patrick was trying to take the bullet out without…paralyzing him."

Sam rested a hand on Molly's shoulder.

"Patrick tried his best but his spinal cord was nearly severed."

Molly nodded and sank on the couch.

"I know but it's so hard seeing him months later still fighting to walk. He made it three steps today."

Alexis smiled.

"That's wonderful. That means there's still hope."

"Yeah but he's so messed up about Shawn. He knows it was an accident but he's so mad at him for choosing his job with Sonny over him."

Alexis understood TJ's anger completely. She'd watched her own daughter Kristina struggle with being a mobster's daughter, acting out in destructive ways until she moved out of PC just to get away from it for a while and find herself.

TJ had wanted so much for Shawn to choose him over the excitement of being Sonny's latest hit man but she'd had that same argument with Shawn when they were together. There was no way for Shawn to drop his addiction to the adrenalin rush he got only through killing people in order to feel alive.

She'd walked away from him. TJ might have to do the same thing though she still hoped it wouldn't come to that.

* * *

Julian and Ned clashed almost immediately at the meeting. Tracy tried to serve as referee. Alice threatened to break them up with a baseball bat. Monica was on her way back from a medical symposium in Chicago but wanted to be kept in the loop.

Neither man listened. Each was convinced they knew what was best for ELQ. The fact that neither trusted the other didn't help matters either.

"I say we unmask this usurper and expose them for what they are," Ned said, "I can hire a PI to do that."

Julian countered.

"I say we play along and let that person expose themselves. We focus on the company and keeping it strong so it's not so vulnerable to takeover."

Ned folded his arms.

"I don't have to listen to this. You're just looking out for your own interests," he said, "Which just happen to all be illegal. You're no different than Corinthos."

Julian sighed.

"I think you're facing a steep curve trying to find this person. Better spend that time keeping ELQ together so it can't be broken into little parts and taken piece by piece."

Tracy stepped in with Alice to provide backup.

"I think that sounds sensible. Ned really, we have no idea where to start looking for this latest enemy who's now faceless. We do what Mr. Jerome suggests, we can gain some intelligence."

Ned tensed.

"I think Mr. Jerome's just buying time for his own intentions of sucking our family business into his which happens to be the mob."

Tracy chuckled.

"I have no intention of ever allowing that to happen," she said, "but I'm not losing this company to any outsider either."

Ned turned to look at Alice who still held onto her bat.

"What about you?"

"I agree with Ms Q…fortify the company like a fortress and do some intelligence to find this poseur."

Ned didn't like the way the consensus was going but he knew majority ruled. Lucy nodded.

"I wanted to consult my crystals about this first because you know…I just don't have a good vibe now but Alice is so right on with her assessment so sign me up."

Alice smiled at her. Ned moved on to AJ who slumped in his chair.

"What about you AJ?"

The man blinked his eyes.

"Yeah sure…I'll go along with it," he said, "No one and I mean no one will steal ELQ on my watch."

Ned sighed, looking into his bloodshot eyes.

"Yeah right…okay majority rules and I'll honor it."

He shot a caustic look at Julian.

"But I won't trust it…and I'll be watching."

Julian smiled at him.

"Fine…now let's get started…"

Ned glowered at him.

"I don't trust you."

Julian studied a long moment.

"I'm sure by the end of this, you'll realize that what we're really protecting will provide common ground."

* * *

Alexis watched as Sam nailed up the last of the paintings. They did look nice back on the wall. One was an original by Liz who she thought had quite a bit of talent.

Sam joined her on the sofa afterward.

"Mom, so what's this with Ned? You thinking of rekindling things with him?"

Alexis smiled.

"No…we both hurt each other too badly to ever go back. It's enough that we're good friends. But I do care about his family and I know someone's out to hurt them."

Sam frowned.

"How so? It's not like no one's ever tried to sneak up and run off with ELQ shares."

"No…you're right but this feels different to me," she said, "I tried to explain that to Ned but Julian was there."

"Julian? Oh yeah he's on the board now. He needs more legit companies to front his illegal stuff since publishing's a dying industry."

"Yeah but he seemed concerned about it too…which surprised Ned. Not that the two trust each other but I don't know…something about this seems familiar."

Sam sighed.

"The Qs will figure it out and unite against it like they always do. I think you should focus on that invite. Did you talk to Nikolas?"

Alexis nodded.

"We're both in the dark. We know it's family but none of them are supposed to be left. There's rumors about Valentin but they've never panned out. He's supposed to be dead too. Just as well."

Sam shook her head.

"What about Dimitri, the cousin? He seems to slip through the cracks. Is he still living?"

Alexis considered that.

"Maybe…last heard he went to South America to live on a hacienda with a huge chunk of the ELQ fortune."

Sam knit her brows.

"Wait a minute, haven't the Cassadines tried to go after the Qs before to get their company?"

Alexis nodded.

"Yes. My father sent his brother Tony to do that during that last grand scheme of his but they're both entombed in that ice chamber along with Alexandra Quartermaine. Then…"

"What Mom?"

Alexis looked at her hands.

"Stefan wanted a piece of it too and I was his legal person. That's why we came to PC in the first place. That's how I met Ned and after I got to know him, I couldn't do anything to harm him or his family but Stefan…"

She fell silent again not wanting to remember him and what he'd become at the very end of his life. Lest the memories return of what really happened to turn him that way…


	13. Chapter 13

Alexis shook her head at the thought of the two men working together. Ned had dropped by her office where she'd been finishing up her file organization to tell her that they'd agreed on a plan.

"We're going to keep the company strong and see if we can lure this person out who's intent on taking it over."

Alexis nodded.

"That sounds like a plan."

Ned sighed.

"I didn't like it. It's not my idea. I'd rather hire an investigator to go find them and then move against them when they're caught unaware but the rest of the board there voted the other way."

"Who came up with the plan then?"

"Julian Jerome…and I don't trust him. For all we know, he could be behind it all with his sister Ava."

She digested that opinion. Not that Julian certainly wasn't capable of doing such a thing. Lying and manipulating a situation to help his cause but she didn't know if that's what he was doing here. He'd have his own interests in the company to protect sure, but there's always the chance it was someone else.

"ELQ's vulnerable to these kind of power plays all the time Ned," she said, "What if it's someone else?"

He frowned.

"You defending him? He's a mobster for goodness sake. He's capable of doing anything."

She willed herself to be patient.

"I know but there's no way of knowing that without following his plan," she said, "You can keep an eye on him and see what he does…if he's in contact with someone else…"

"Like Ava?"

She furrowed her brow.

"Or someone else…he's got to have associates or allies around the world," she said, "I think he's more sophisticated in that way than Sonny."

"I think so too but he's still a bottom feeding thug in my book. It's not my idea to have him involved even at all. But nothing we can do at this point. Maybe if I'd been here…"

She shook her head.

"No you wouldn't have been able to do anything…he and Ava failed the first time they tried to get a foothold in your company."

"I know…Ava was assigned to do it by her brother and couldn't…using her own daughter to get her claws on the board. It's not the first time someone's claimed kinship with our family to get at us."

Alexis remembered that whole episode capped off by the article claiming Kiki wasn't a Q, the same article that had bumped Danny's bone marrow drive off the first page. Still if it hadn't been for that, she and Derek…Julian wouldn't have clashed that night at the Floating Rib and he wouldn't have felt badly enough to be swabbed himself.

Still Alexis somehow didn't see him as the main problem with ELQ. She knew she should, she should be angry enough at the man to point fingers at him but somehow…well Ned and the others would figure it out. She had her own matters to address.

"I think you've got a plan that'll work Ned. Tracy will go along with it and Monica…you've all survived worse."

He nodded but still looked troubled.

"This isn't because you still have feelings for the man is it?"

She recoiled, feeling that familiar mixture of emotions she always kept in check.

"No…that has nothing to do with it," she said, "and I don't have 'feelings' for Julian. Yeah we share a daughter and a grandson but that's it."

"You sure?"

She got out of her chair and started pacing.

"Absolutely. The man's engaged for goodness sake. To Carly of all people which must be one hell of a story but he…I…we're just sharing space in the same town again for a while."

"A while…"

"Yes while I deal with my own problems. I talked to Sam earlier and she has no idea who this…dinner host might be. We went through my entire family…most of which is dead."

Ned sighed.

"That didn't stop Julian did it?"

"No…but he cut a deal with the WSB which somehow worked for both of them. Then he went rogue or something and no one's coming by to do cleanup. Robert left town months ago and even Duke and Anna…"

"Sounds dirty to me. Now their 'rogue mobster' is my family's problem and when he steps out of line he'll be treated as such. Just another interloper…"

* * *

Julian clicked off his phone and stuck it back in his pocket. Annoyance filled him as he thought about what the caller had wanted. He'd stuck to the plan and the boss was dropping by town to check on the progress.

The caller didn't care. He wanted Julian to change his objective.

"More and more of them are preparing to come out of the shadows," the caller said, "You have to be ready."

"I'm busy with the plan," he said, "I needed ELQ and Sonny's turf to have a stake and I'm still not finished with either goal."

The caller chortled.

"That's hardly our fault. You should have both well in hand by now. You've been distracted?"

Julian sighed.

"Sonny's more of an opponent than I thought and then Duke Lavery was helping him by handing him over intelligence on me."

"Duke is otherwise occupied now isn't he?"

Julian knit his brow.

"Yes…he and Anna are off on some mission for the past several months."

"With them out of the way, it should have been easier right?"

Julian bristled.

"Someone's moving in on the company and we both know who," he said, "They've adopted my plan of fortifying it and waiting for that party to make a move."

"Be careful…if you try to play both sides, we'll know it."

Julian paused, feeling irritation flow through him. He'd been doing as plans with some snags along the way. Some things that he hadn't anticipated.

"You know what you promised me," He said, "I'm not going to jeopardize anything to get what I want."

The caller chuckled.

"That'll be difficult…especially when your boss returns to his old haunt. He wasn't the brains of the operation but he was its heart. Ironic considering he doesn't have one."

Julian paused.

"I know everything I need to know about him."

"Do you really? You better hope so or you're in for some unpleasant surprises…"

Julian had finished the call gladly and then returned to working in his office. He still had his publishing empire to run. He knew that Ned and perhaps others on the board were suspicious of his actions and motives but he knew what he needed to do.


	14. Chapter 14

Ava just stared at her brother incredulously. She'd been interrupted in her meeting with the caterers who'd be handling the reception at his wedding to Carly.

"Julian we only have two weeks and we haven't settled on a menu," she said, "It's bad enough Carly disappeared again."

He waved a hand.

"She's off seeing her psycho boyfriend," he said, "He's due for an eval in a week but he's not getting out."

Ava sniffed.

"I should hope not. I mean if Morgan's still locked up in his padded cell..."

"Ava he's not spoke a word and barely moved in months..."

She sighed, sitting down on his sofa.

"He's not spilled a word to anyone and that's all you care about...you're so cold hearted."

He sighed.

"One of us has to be Ava. You're too emotional, running off halfcocked trying to save him from himself...or more accurately from you."

She flinched from that barb as he knew she would but he didn't feel charitable right now. He had his mind focused on one goal.

"It's not my fault…what happened that night," she said, "You weren't even there…you were…"

"Busy," he finished for her.

She smirked.

"Doing what dear brother? You never told me what it was you were doing that kept you so busy."

He closed his eyes trying not to remember then pressed his lips in a fine line.

"Never mind…what's done is done," he said, "Our job is to keep our mission moving forward no matter what."

She shook her head.

"Is this what it's all about Julian? How do I know you didn't sell your soul to the devil…our souls while you were at it?"

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"I know what I'm doing…"

She arched a brow.

"Really…I think they're just using us," she said, "Silas is about to go down…it's only a matter of time. That Nathan West is tenacious. Why didn't you put him on your hit list?"

"A death of a detective would raise too many questions," Julian said, "Let Sonny take him out when he finds out that Dante's been helping his father stay out of prison."

Ava shook her head.

"So the boss is going to know what to do next? At what cost?"

Julian heard his sister raise the familiar laundry list of concerns she had about their plan. But it's not like they had a choice in the matter. Not for what he was after…

"It's already cost us enough…maybe we should just say no to the plan and walk away."

He glared at her.

"No…we are fully committed to this to its end."

She frowned.

"No you are brother. I was the one who thought we shouldn't tangle with this bunch in the first place."

He sighed, remembering those discussions the few times they'd met face to face while strategizing usually holed up in some hotel room or other hideaway.

"I had no choice…"

* * *

Alexis left Ned to go take a walk by the harbor. PC hadn't changed much in this poorer section of town since she'd left it. She had listened to Ned go on about Julian and how he couldn't be trusted. She knew he had reason to be concerned about his new business partner but while Julian clearly had his flaws too many to list, he wasn't the worst threat facing ELQ.

She knew as did Luke and Nikolas that there were darker forces out there waiting to descend on PC. She didn't relish the meeting she faced at Wyndamere, it would take some serious fortification on her part.

"Natasha…"

She spun around at the familiar voice flashing a look of annoyance.

"Luke you startled me. I still haven't decided…we could both be wrong."

He emerged from the shadows of an abandoned building.

"No we both know exactly what's coming and we need to decide on how to handle it."

She rolled her eyes.

"Luke it's my family…I'll handle it," she said, "I've spoken with Nikolas."

He shook his head.

"Natasha use your head…"

"Oh shut up Luke…you know my family takes care of its own including the poisoned branches of the tree…if I need your help…"

"I'm not waiting for you to ask…I'm in this too up to my neck. Your family's taken so much from my family. If any of them are crawling out of that ice chamber or their grave I'm going to be there to stop them."

She heard the fervor in his voice and she knew he'd suffered as she had from the Cassadine Curse.

"We don't know who it is Luke," she said, "Maybe it's some relatively benign long lost cousin…"

He shook his head.

"I know who's responsible…though he's supposed to be dead."

"They're all supposed to be dead," she said, "but they never seem to get the memo on that."

Luke shrugged.

"I've got an idea but I need to do some more digging," he said, "I'll let you know what I find out."

She folded her arms.

"Okay…how narrow is your list of suspects?"

He paused.

"Three or four…"

That intrigued her.

"Okay I'm biting…which ones? It's not Helena is it once again?"

He paused.

"No, I shot her dead myself…"

"Okay so then who are the others," she said, "Stavros…did he thaw out again? Is Stefan undead and in a much better mood?"

Luke sighed.

"Wrong branch," he said, "Another just as poisonous."

She digested that and mentally rehashed her twisted family tree.

"None of the others have been seen for decades…"

Luke smiled without mirth.

"You're getting warmer…"

"I'm getting more annoyed with you," she said, "Enough of the guessing games you Spencers are fond of playing…just tell me who I need to watch for…"

He paused.

"Hopefully it's only the Cassadine who walked away from Ice Princess alive."

Her eyes widened.

"Victor? That can't be right. He's…well I was going to say dead after years in prison but that is meaningless in my family."

"There's no body in the place he's supposed to be buried," Luke said, "which means he's out there somewhere."

Alexis gasped. How could she not? She had no fond memories of Victor, her father's younger brother. When she learned he'd died in his prison cell she'd relaxed a little…but now...

"Maybe he's not coming back here…"

Luke gave her a pointed look.

"I think that's exactly what he's got planned," he said, "Look on the bright side, it could be Valentin…"

Alexis had heard stories about this half-brother, the most treacherous family member of all or so it was claimed. He'd hidden in the shadows until he'd been rumored dead as well.

"It's not all that bright being Victor," she said, "What would he want after all this time?"

"I think the answer's obvious Natasha. He wants everything…he wants to take his place as head of House Cassadine and that means…"

"Nikolas…but he has no legal right…"

"We both know the Cassadines adhere to their own code of laws," Luke said, "He'll do what he wants but if he endangers my family…"

Alexis knew she'd protect her own as always. She'd gone against Victor before but she didn't relish doing it again.

God, life just never settled down. She'd dealt with having Sam's father back in her life, now she had to face another chapter from earlier in her life.

"He doesn't even know Sam's alive…"

Luke narrowed his eyes.

"What doesn't he know…?"

She didn't know she'd said the words out loud.

"Nothing…"

Luke took off not long after assuring her they'd have a plan but she knew she had to come up with one of her own…if the invite had indeed come from Victor.


	15. Chapter 15

Mac glanced up at her as Alexis walked into the Floating Rib and dropped her purse on the counter. He smiled at her.

"Tough day?"

She sighed.

"You could say that."

"So it'll be the Scotch on the rocks and not the Chardonnay?"

She just nodded and he filled her glass. She took it sipping it, the alcohol warming her throat, her muscles relaxed quickly enough. He watched her carefully.

"What's up? Anything in particular?"

His eyes were sympathetic, like the close friend he'd been to her for years. She wish she could tell him but…her family had brought Mac and especially his older brother Robert so much trouble through the years. Why darken his day over something that might not be really happening?

So she shrugged instead.

"Not much….just everything that's changed since I had left…people locked up in mental institutions. People in jail on attempted murder charges…Engagements that are difficult to fathom…"

He nodded.

"Ah…so it's narrowed down to Morgan, Shawn and Julian Jerome's decision to marry Carly."

Her eyes widened.

"Damn you're good…yes to all of the above."

Mac smiled.

"I am a bartender. We are the confidantes who charge must less than the going rate of sixty bucks an hour."

Alexis chuckled. He had a way of cheering her up.

"You're right about that. I'm not surprised by any of it…well most of it."

Mac shook his head.

"Morgan's always been a troubled young man and mental illness runs in his family," he said, "and Shawn…his career choices…"

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Yeah that…he and I had long discussions…arguments really about his decision to work for Sonny…really work for him as his number two after Jason died. He's in his own Hell now and he built it. Fortunately TJ didn't die at his hand…"

"He's doing any better?"

Alexis nodded with a hint of a smile.

"He might walk again but it's going to take hard work and lots of therapy for the next year or so. They're going to let him use a wheelchair…but he'll be at the rehab center at least six more months. They're not sure what to do with him."

"I know his father's dead but his mother."

Anger lit Alexis' eyes now.

"She doesn't want any part of him. I'll never get that. He's a wonderful young man. Molly's been visiting him and helping him keep up with his schooling."

"That's good…his medical bills must be enormous."

Alexis' brows knit.

"Yes, he had some insurance but they're well over $1 million. Molly just told me something odd. That there's someone footing the balance of them but the hospital won't even tell TJ who."

Mac's eyes widened.

"That's wonderful. Someone would step forward and do that."

"Yeah he doesn't really have anyone."

Mac paused.

"Carly getting engaged to Jerome's a bit of a surprise."

Alexis sipped her Scotch with a shrug.

"Not really…she must have something that he wants," she said, "and vice versa."

Mac furrowed his brow.

"That does sound like Carly. Jerome is a whole another issue based on what Robert told me about him. He was against the whole protection racket."

"So I heard…but he's turned his stalemate with Sonny into a move to focus his sights on ELQ."

Mac arched his brows.

"Good luck with that. I know he'll have a fight on his hands."

"I thought so too Mac but there's another threat to the company besides him believe it or not and he and Ned…they're working together…not easily but at least long enough to find out who's after the company this time."

Max digested that.

"I'm glad to run a sports bar and not have to mess with all that. But I'm not on the guest list for the wedding, so I'm not worried about it. Are you?"

Alexis felt a bit taken aback.

"No…he's a grown man who can make his own choices," she said, "I'm sure he knows what he's getting himself into…or not. I've got my own problems…"

Mac frowned.

"What's going on?"

She hedged then sighed.

"I'm wondering if it's possible that a member of my family might still be alive."

Mac arched his brows as his body tensed.

"A Cassadine? It's possible…given that they boast more than the usual one life."

She nodded.

"I don't know which one but Nikolas and I think that we received letters from someone in our warped family tree."

"What kind of letter?"

She sipped her Scotch.

"An invitation actually," she said, "to Wyndamere but Nikolas didn't send it."

"So someone's inviting both of you to come to Nikolas' house. That doesn't make sense."

"You think? We're trying to figure out who sent it," she said, "After all that's what brought me back."

"The only thing?"

She considered that.

"No…but the rest of it…it's complicated for reasons I can't get into…I don't understand."

Mac shrugged.

"Isn't it always like that here?"

She couldn't argue with that.

* * *

Julian looked at Carly who was yelling at someone near the kitchen of the restaurant for the vegetables being too cold. They'd been dining at there and she'd been discussing the wedding.

Not his favorite topic. His mind was on what to do next with ELQ and how to deal with Ned. His decision to work together with him put him back on the razor edge of getting his agenda with the corporation back on track and pleasing his boss.

Some of the things he had to do…he glanced towards the kitchen…but he had a debt to pay. His sister strode up to him wearing one of her dresses that looked oddly enough like a dinner napkin.

"Ava…what is it?"

She sighed.

"Silas is being an ass."

That didn't surprise Julian. He wished his daughter would drop the arrogant doctor who was clearly hiding something but of course she didn't go to him for advice…or anything for that matter.

"Some detective's back interviewing us about what happened in New York…"

He sighed.

"You'd better get together with lover boy and think of something to tell the police. We don't need the exposure."

"Julian I know that…I really thought after last time…he'd be satisfied."

He didn't want to know the full story of that last time. The night of the blackout…the shooting…he had his own problems.

"Ava…you're on your own. No one told you to get involved with a man like Silas."

She hissed.

"You're one to judge. Who told you to marry that bitch?"

He paused.

"That's different…"

"Your son will never warm to you…just like your daughter. You…we were lucky to avoid prison…"

He shook his head.

"That wouldn't have been an option. Shawn shot the kid. I wasn't even there."

Ava paused.

"It's not my fault what happened to Morgan…he's made some improvement."

Then a loud voice from behind them.

"You psycho bitch…"

That had to be Carly returning from her chore in the kitchen. The two women squared off again.

"I'm going to wipe the floor with you."

Ava sneered.

"A piece of sanctimonious trailer trash like you? Oh don't make me laugh…"

Carly snarled.

"Why you…"

She lunged but Ava ducked her. Julian finished his meal and started to leave. He guessed that the two women's efforts to plan the wedding would be off track again.

"You…you leave at once you cradle robber…my son is catatonic because of you."

"You lying…you and Sonny were the one that messed him up," Ava said, "I provided some normalcy for him."

Julian walked out of there leaving the two women to tear each other apart if they chose. At least Ava visited Morgan…unlike Carly who only went to the asylum to spend time with Franco.

He needed a drink.

* * *

Alexis looked at Mac. She'd had nursed her Scotch while he'd told her about Felicia's plans to open a New Age boutique across the street from Kelly's with Lucy.

"That sounds like it'll keep her busy…"

She knew that Felicia missed Maxie who'd taken off for parts unknown.

"Maxie will be all right. Sometimes the best move to make is just to leave for a while."

Mac leaned forward.

"Did it work for you?"

Alexis paused.

"I think so…with everything that happened, I know some people might think I ran away…"

He shook his head.

"It was an ugly scene. What with the power grid exploding and then the mob war...lucky there was only one casualty."

Kiki Jerome Corinthos, who hadn't survived her honeymoon with Michael. Sonny buried her in the family plot next to Sonny's first wife Lily Rivera. Michael had been so distraught that he'd disappeared one night and hadn't been seen again. His last known address, a monastery in Italy.

"TJ's doing better, that's what matters."

Mac nodded.

"That's good."

"It's hard on Molly though," Alexis said, "I think she's carried a lot of guilt about it and she's still mad at Morgan but…well he paid his own price."

"She's resilient like her mother."

"She's already applying to colleges," Alexis said, "Independent study's the best thing that happened to her."

"What about you?"

She smiled.

"Jax has been great as always. I love working with him so much better than Sonny and he and I…we've always had a tight relationship. He wants me to return to Sydney when I'm finished here."

"Would you?"

She paused for a moment.

"It's tempting…I don't know. There's so much here to resolve…so it feels less like running away."

Mac knit his brow.

"You were running to something Alexis…not necessarily away."

She shook her head.

"Mac…I left for different reasons. Molly was in a bad place after TJ and I wasn't much better."

He looked at her directly.

"Those were difficult times for a lot of people."

She nodded.

"I know…when I heard about the shooting…the next day…and that they had arrested Shawn and others…Sonny wanted me to come and bail him out."

Mac frowned.

"They should have arrested Julian as well."

She sighed.

"They didn't have anything on him…he wasn't there."

Mac rubbed his jawline.

"Convenient, it seems to me."

Alexis didn't respond. What was there to say about it?

"Yeah it was…for him."

* * *

Julian drove his car not choosing to opt for the limo. He had to leave the MC as both Ava and Carly drove him crazy. He'd hoped that working together on a project would keep the claws sheathed but no doubt, they were rolling across the restaurant floor by now fighting like alley cats.

He decided to find some haunt that was quieter to study the specs that Ned had emailed him. Reluctantly of course, he knew that Ashton was loathe to work with him, he didn't like it either.

Alexis was helping Ned too and though he didn't like how friendly they were, at least it gave him a chance to spend time with her. Not that she'd been anything but frosty, the Cassadine in her though not on blast.

He learned what that was like. Both good and bad.

The phone rang and he picked it up.

"You…I told you I'd get back to you when I something to report on ELQ…"

The voice sighed.

"We expected that almost a year ago…but your sister…you couldn't keep her on a leash."

"It's impossible. Otherwise she'd grow suspicious…"

"Isn't she already? You haven't been acting yourself."

He paused.

"No…she's distracted with the…wedding."

Another pause.

"Do I detect some unhappiness with the plan," the voice said, "We don't want you, we want who's pulling your strings…"

Julian sighed.

"I thought that was you."

Laughter this time.

"You made your choice…you could have stayed dead. For real this time."

Julian remembered back to those days…when he'd wanted to be dead. Buried in some plot in PC, soon to be forgotten. No one left to mourn him. But that had happened and lying in a hospital bed for weeks recovering…he'd asked why he'd gotten his reprieve. He had nothing left to live for…he'd failed to make his father proud of him by taking his place. The woman he thought he loved…instead wanted someone else. During those dark days of recovery, he'd asked his handler as he was called why he'd been swooped out of that cabin in the wilderness after the shootout and allowed to live.

His life no longer his own, they'd saved his life and now he owed them back when it came time to pay his debt. He'd hoped that day wouldn't come but several years ago, that day had arrived.

His handler came to see him with a dossier containing information that had changed everything. His course had been set.

He'd see it through to its end and then maybe…

"Jerome you there?"

"Yes…I'm in my car," he said, "I don't want a motor cop to pull me over. I've had enough of police."

"That's not our fault. You got careless. You didn't have an alibi the night of the shooting which is why they brought you in it."

He paused.

"You need to focus on ELQ. You can do that can't you?"

"Of course I can. Ava screwed up the first time not me," he said, "I explained that to our boss."

"The one who's flying in to get you back on track?"

Julian heard the pique in the caller's voice and it irritated him. In times like this, he reminded himself to keep his attention focused on the prize.

Always.

He'd already been through the gauntlet to get here. He needed to keep his course no matter what.


	16. Chapter 16

Alexis retreated from the kitchen which had filled with smoke while Molly put out the fire. All she'd tried to do was heat up some soup in the microwave. Kaboom followed, then thick clouds of smoke. Molly swept in to contain her latest culinary disaster.

Afterward, she gave notice that she'd be reheating some lasagna that they'd picked up at an Italian eatery the previous day. Alexis thought that the prudent choice. So Molly instructed her to whip up a salad, safe enough and pour ice tea into glasses for both of them.

Molly seemed focused on her eating while Alexis remembered her conversation with Mac. She knew she'd returned into the life she'd left and all the predicable obstacles she'd thought she navigated. The food proved delicious.

"Mom…the salad's not bad."

Alexis stopped eating.

"You sound surprised…"

Molly shook her head.

"Oh no…I mean the dressing is…"

"Store bought Molly…but thanks…I have long accepted that cooking is not my forte and the inevitable references to that which go with it."

Her daughter sipped her drink.

"Mom we all have our talents…as you told me when I didn't make the softball team in junior high."

Alexis remembered telling all of her daughters that at least once.

"So how was your studies?"

Molly's brow knit.

"I'm ahead of my class here…surprise surprise and I helped TJ with his schoolwork."

"How is he?"

She shrugged.

"He's walked three more steps today and stood up for longer…but he still needs help."

"That's great honey…it's going to be a long rehab period."

"I know…he gets discouraged but he doesn't like to show it."

Alexis sighed.

"Like Shawn…"

Molly fell silent.

"He misses him…even after what he did."

Alexis fidgeted with her fork, not surprised by that. The two had been close, as much as they could be considering Shawn had been so focused in his work for Sonny. She'd tried to warn him of the consequences that awaited him if he chose that life. He hadn't listened…most men didn't when she warned them of anything.

Molly frowned.

"The table…"

"What about it?"

"Nothing…except it doesn't wobble."

Alexis sipped her tea.

"It's new…Sam replaced the other one…it was old anyway."

Molly shrugged.

"Just wondering…"

They heard a knock on the door and both looked at each other. Alexis went to the door, opening it. Luke stood there.

"Natasha…you're home."

She folded her arms.

"Luke, what are you doing here?"

He waltzed right in her house, glancing over at Molly who watched him aptly.

"I found out some info on your invite…"

She directed him to the living room. Molly arched her brows.

"Hi Luke…what's up?"

Luke smiled at her.

"Just here to catch up with your mom…"

Alexis looked at Luke after sitting down across from him.

"So what'd you find out? Which Cassadine's come back from the dead this time?"

He shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine…that's not what my news is about."

She leaned forward.

"So what is it?"

He paused.

"Whoever it is this time has already set up a power base in Pt. Chuckles."

Alexis knit her brows.

"You mean they're working with people already here…"

"Exactly…damn Natasha you're pretty sharp."

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Seriously, maybe it's all centered around what's happening at ELQ now."

He frowned.

"Yeah Tracy filled me in on the attempted takeover…."

She nodded.

"Ned and Julian have put down their swords to try to figure out who's responsible."

Luke chuckled.

"Ned's been butting heads with Tracy and why would anyone trust a Jerome?"

Alexis sighed.

"No good reason but if they keep infighting they'll lose ELQ."

Luke pursed his lips.

"Unless someone's already in the enemy camp…"

Alexis just stared at him.

* * *

Julian ran into get some groceries at a store and saw Sam in the produce section. She turned around as he approached her. Her eyes looked frosty…time hadn't lessened her decision to have nothing to do with him.

"Sam…"

"Julian…"

She put down a head of lettuce and folded her arms.

"So I hear you've been quite busy…even with Sonny out."

He nodded.

"I've got other business ventures."

She bit her lip.

"Yeah right…listen I'm sure…but I'm in a hurry. I've got dinner guests."

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"How's Danny doing?"

She didn't even crack a smile.

"He's doing very well…passed his recent checkup. He doesn't need your stem cells."

"That's great…"

She arched a brow.

"Yeah he's kept you alive hasn't he?"

"Sam…"

She shook her head.

"I'm not getting into this with you. You made your choice. You'll have to live with it. I…Danny…our lives are fine without you in them."

Julian sighed.

"It doesn't have to be that way. I'm not at war with Sonny…"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Only because he's got nothing left. He opted out after what you and Ava did to Morgan."

He shook his head.

"Morgan did that to himself…and his parents loaded him with a lot of reasons to reject them."

She paused.

"Maybe so…but so did my father…the one who raised me more or less and I'm not out serving your purpose or Sonny's."

"You don't know what happened…"

She looked exasperated.

"Neither do you…where were you anyway? The police didn't find you until later…after the warehouse shooting…"

He didn't respond. She didn't seem to expect one focusing her eyes back on the lettuce, picking through it.

"I thought so…so now that you're done with Sonny…you're onto the next target on your agenda…"

He put his hand up.

"Sam…"

She hardened her eyes.

"It's got to be something lucrative…something that's gone public…a Fortune 500 company that trades…something like ELQ."

The slight arching of his eyes gave him away. She sighed.

"I knew it…you haven't changed a bit and you never will," she said, "I know it and Lucas knows it."

The mention of his son jolted him.

"Sam there are reasons for what I'm doing."

She folded her arms.

"Yeah you told Mom and me…that you had to protect yourself…but you started it. You got to live with that."

"I care about you and Danny…"

She digested that, without softening. He'd lost so much ground with her, he might never get it back.

"I think you do as much as you can…as long as it doesn't interfere with your grand agenda but that's not enough…I can deal with it. I never had a real father but I want more from my grandson."

He watched the emotions play out across her face, at least she no longer cloaked them in stoicism. But as she walked away from him once again, he felt the loss to add to the others.

He left the store and before he heard the footsteps in the parking lot he turned around to face him.


	17. Chapter 17

Julian looked up and saw the man approach him. His conversation with Sam still weighing on him, nearly making him lose his focus.

He never walked into a parking lot without scanning it for trouble. Not that he worried about Sonny coming after him anymore. The capo rarely left the house and lived mostly in seclusion these days with his moll of choice keeping him company. With Shawn locked up in jail and Michael barely corresponding from the Italian monastery…Sonny didn't have much reason left to live.

No, if he had enemies they were elsewhere. He knew no one in the Quartermaine camp trusted him to be anything but a corporate raider scheming to take their company away piece by piece…but they'd be wrong.

"You alone?"

Julian nodded.

"Who are you?"

The man dressed in black stepped forward to him.

"I was sent by your contact," he said, "to check on your progress."

Julian frowned.

"I don't know you or what you're talking about…"

The man smiled.

"I'm checking on ELQ," he said, "The board meeting…I take it the Quartermaines didn't believe your story that you're not really out to get their company."

Julian paused still trying to read the man in front of him. He hadn't been notified or warned to expect anyone to come approach him.

"Who do you work for?"

Best to get that sorted before saying anything else…or before the stranger had time to do anything else like pull out a gun and shoot him.

"Who do you think?"

Julian looked past him and saw Sam leaving the store with her groceries towards her car. If she saw him she didn't let on but then she'd been doing a lot of that lately. Her anger toward him still drew deep roots.

"All I'm going to tell you is that your boss…wants that company," the man said, "You're helping him right? That's part of the plan?"

Julian sighed rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm on the board working with Ned and Tracy but then that's no secret."

The man chuckled.

"Yeah but do they know all of it? Do they know who you're really working for?"

Julian pressed his lips together. He still didn't know what this man wanted from him. Was it a setup? It'd hardly be the first time.

"Oh come on Mr. Jerome. You're working alongside them but your goals diverge do they not?"

Julian narrowed his eyes.

"What's it to you?"

The man sighed.

"You know who's out there…"

Okay he'd bite, as much to find out what this man wanted…without getting in too deep.

"Who's rumored to be out there…"

The man shrugged.

"We can't take any chance that the intelligence is true. You can't take any chance that it's true…"

Julian closed his eyes momentarily. The man whoever he turned out to be was certainly right about that. He lowered his defenses just a little.

"Okay…perhaps…"

The man wasn't finished with his train of thought.

"Isn't that why you resurfaced?"

Julian blinked his eyes. The man in front of him no longer a stranger.

"I made a deal and I've lived by it. I had my reasons…"

The man chuckled.

"Yes you did…and so far you did as told…"

"I didn't have much of a choice."

The man shrugged again.

"You could have died…"

True, but there hadn't been any chance to decide until weeks after his rescue from near death. After waking up in a privately owned clinic, he though it a nightmare. After all, he hadn't wanted to live at the moment he'd walked into that cabin and to wake up…but then the meetings with his rescuers began and then something…

Well it had changed his life forever and had sealed his decision and his fate. It seemed that this man knew that.

"I thought I had…but fate had different plans."

The man chuckled louder.

"I hardly think it was fate…but you've got a job to do and ELQ is key to the plan."

Julian paused remembering that the first time he'd been briefed about his new life…decades ago. He'd walked into that room determined not to belong to anyone and left it fully committed once he learned the stakes."

"I know I have a job to do but it's not for you…"

* * *

Alexis sighed as she thought about what Luke had told her. About ELQ and some enemy hiding in plain sight. Did Luke suspect Julian? To be honest, she did too. She'd learned the hard way that he had his own objectives and the carefully laid plans to achieve them. But why after investing so much energy into fighting Sonny had he turned his attention to ELQ?

The corporation could prove an attractive target by anyone interested in laundering ill-gotten gain through it without anyone suspecting but he had to know he'd run up against some determined family members. Members of the corporate board who'd never back down from him as they wouldn't to any other interloper trying to oust them.

She thought of the Cassadines and any stragglers who might still be among the living. Cousins, even half-brothers out there, like Valentin.

He sent a shiver through her as he should, he'd done that to Helena on the rare occasions the evil matriarch had invoked his name. Supposedly he was dead which meant next to nothing in her family but he'd never surfaced so far. If he did, any Cassadine or Spencer would be a target which meant further fortifying her own family.

She sighed, as she drank wine looking out in the moonlight splashing the lake's surface. The PC she had known when she left had been in chaos but now…it seemed unrecognizable to her. All the changes in the lives of people around her as they'd been thoroughly disrupted by the mob war.

"Alexis…"

The shrilly voice only meant one thing. Carly had found her way to the lake house and was gracing her with a visit.

She sighed finishing off her wine, knowing she'd need it.

"What is it Carly?"

The other woman's lip curled into a sneer.

"Nothing…thought I'd just drop by on my way back to the hotel. Ava and I are working on the catering for the rehearsal dinner."

Ah her upcoming nuptials to Julian. Alexis didn't know whether she found the circumstances of that more confusing than the fact that she and Ava were apparently on speaking terms again.

"Oh that's nice…"

What else was there to say about it? Julian clearly had his reasons for doing the marriage thing with Carly…it wasn't any of her business. She had her own business to deal with and couldn't be distracted.

"Did our plans to marry shock you?"

She glanced at Carly who was looking at her nails.

"No…very little that you do shocks me and I assume that wasn't the point."

Carly paused.

"He and I…we're both getting what we want," she said, "You do know that Anna thought he was responsible for shooting TJ."

Alexis frowned.

"Well he was responsible for his part in the war…but he didn't shoot TJ…he wasn't even there."

Carly knit her brow.

"No he wasn't but you know Anna doesn't like him very much since…well before my time."

Alexis knew all about that but Anna had to work with facts and Shawn had fired the gun that had put his ward into a rehab center.

"I'm sure he gave Anna his alibi and that cleared it up."

Everyone in PC it seemed had been questioned about what had happened the night the lights went out and violence had once again rocked the waterfront. She'd done her time in the interrogation room but like others no doubt, she'd told half-truths.

Carly shook her head.

"Anna still hounded him until the ballistics came back and traced to Shawn's gun."

"That makes sense Carly but why are you here telling me this? I thought you were planning your…wedding."

"Oh I am but Ava and I had a little disagreement and we're both cooling off. So I thought I'd go on a drive…I've got to go gown shopping tomorrow…"

Alexis smiled.

"That's nice Carly…look I've got work to do here," she said, "so unless you've got anything else to say…"

Carly folded her arms.

"Julian really wasn't at the scene of the shooting was he? I mean he said he wasn't but…well when the police asked me what I knew I just assumed…"

Alexis sighed, tired of the topic.

"I think it's been established that he wasn't…now I think it's getting late and it's time for you to run along."

Carly didn't move.

"You know he could have gone to jail anyway…"

Alexis shook her head.

"He had his stay out of jail card," she said, "I'm sure he used it."

Carly rolled her eyes.

"He could still go to prison…but no need to worry about that because we're getting married."

Alexis sighed. She didn't know why Carly had driven out all this way to talk to her, probably to get her kicks out of getting under her skin. But Alexis didn't care…she had to worry about what was going on with her own family. Molly…Sam…Nikolas and the others.

"Look Carly I'm sure this is all very interesting to you but like I said, I've got work to do so if you'll excuse me…"

"But…"

Alexis looked at her before turning to leave.

"This conversation is over…"


End file.
